Ttakepa
by JonathonWolf
Summary: Due to an accident on a mission, Ron and Shego are sent through a dimensional gateway. Now they must work together in this strange land to get home. Rated for future chapters. Chapter 16 up.
1. Prologue

Chapter 1 

The sun slowly crested over an unassuming mountain range, virtually untouched by man. Within one of these peaks was hidden a secret base of operations, built into a hollowed-out section. Two lone figures occupied it, both lost within their own endeavors.

The pale woman sat slouched in her comfy armchair, filing the talons on her gloves as a blue-skinned man in a blue lab coat tinkered away at an archway. The cavernous mountain lair was mostly taken up with computer terminals and cluttered lab benches. The man was making the final connections of wires and cables running from a control station by the main view screen, the rocky ceiling obscured in darkness. Standing up with a broad grin, he closed the panel. "Ah, after working all night, it's finally complete."

"The plan's stupid and won't work," she called out, not even looking up.

"But I haven't even told you my plan yet," he whined.

"Just saving us both time, Dr. D. Besides, I know it's a dimensional gate since you had me steal the Pandimensional Vortex Inducer yesterday."

"You just don't like me to have the joy of explaining," Dr. Drakken harrumphed.

"No, I just hate the sound of your voice."

"Words hurt, Shego."

"So does my fist," she growled.

"Hmm, yes. So," he continued, causing Shego to groan. "I will use this dimensional gateway to send Kim Possible to a random destination where she will never find her way back from."

"And how are you going to get the princess here, much less through that thing?"

"Easy. I put an ad out that your birthday present is the elimination of Kim Possible," he beamed proudly.

Shego glared at him. "My birthday was two months ago."

"Oh," the man said, crestfallen. "Well, happy twenty-eighth birthday."

"I'm twenty-four, you idiot," she yelled, igniting a fist with green plasma.

---

Two figures slowly made their way through one of the large ventilation shafts built throughout the mountain. "I don't get why we came, KP. We know it's a trap," said the young boy.

"Dr. Drakken wants to get rid of me. Better to stop him now than to wait for him to bring it to me," Kim answered.

"At least I don't have to feel bad about Shego's gift being a couple months late."

"I can't believe you got her something. She's the enemy, Ron."

"We see her all the time, and the enemy are people, too. It never hurts to be friendly. Right, Rufus?"

"Friendly," a small voice squeaked from his pocket.

"Maybe, but this is Shego. What'd you get her?"

Ron laughed nervously. "I kinda forgot. It was months ago." Kim sighed, shaking her head.

They stepped out onto a high walkway overlooking the lair. Sticking to the shadows, the two teens listened to Drakken's plan, then watched as he cowered before an angry Shego. "Ow. Never guess a lady's age," Kim whispered.

"Guess we've got to get the inducer thing back, too," Ron replied.

"That's the plan, then. I'll get Shego, you grab the inducer, and Rufus will shut down the gateway."

"But it's not on yet." The blond boy looked down to see Shego enter a series of numbers and flip the power switch on a console. "Never mind. Try not to let Shego throw you through."

Kim waved off his concern. "So not the drama. Just give me a few minutes to draw her attention. Hopefully, we can make it to cheer practice."

The young hero anchored her grappling hook into the ceiling and swing down to loop come in from the side. Kicking Drakken into the angry woman, the redhead landed gracefully a few feet from her entangled enemies. "What's wrong, Shego? Mad he forgot your birthday? Or reminded you about how old you look?"

Shego jumped up, throwing the man off her. "Not all of us need a desperate lapdog to make us feel better."

"Ron? He just likes making people happy," Kim replied while dodging flaming attacks. "He tried to get you a gift a couple months ago, but it wasn't ready until recently. Should arrive any day now."

The raven-haired beauty extinguished the energy around her hands and scratched the back of her head. "Stoppable got me something?" she mused. "And he remembered my birthday. That was nice of him."

"Don't worry. I'll make sure you get it in prison," Kim said, kicking Shego down in front of the portal.

Ron, seeing his moment, anchored his grappling hook to a support brace running along the ceiling. When he approached the bottom of his swing, Rufus jumped off to run to the control console by the computers; and he kicked his feet for more momentum. The added strain broke the metal beam, causing the young boy to fly over the archway until gravity brought him down. His cry for his friend cut off as he swung through the gateway, retracting the line to save himself.

Concerned for her friend, Kim turned to try to get to him. Shego had risen to her feet and prepared to blast her foe while the hero's back was turned. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the beam swinging towards her. Unable to move out of the way in time, she was sent flying backwards through the shimmering portal, her blast discharging into the control system for the device. With a shower of sparks, the rift winked out of existence, leaving the arch clear again.

"Drakken," Kim called, looking at him through the now inert arch. "Where did you send them?"

Dr. Drakken stared slack jawed at where their sidekicks had disappeared. "I don't know. Shego entered the destination."  
She picked up the worried naked mole rat that ran up to her and put him in her pocket. "Then pull it up. I'm sure we can get this thing running again."

"I, uh, didn't want anyone to be able to find you. The control unit doesn't log entries, and it got destroyed."

Kim looked at the empty archway with horror. "Do you know what I'm going to do to you if we don't get them back alive?" Kim asked quietly.

"Um, no. What?" he asked nervously.

She glared at him coldly. "Keep thinking about it, because it'll be worse the longer it takes."

A/N 

I'm making this my long term project. I intend for it to be quite long, and I have pretty much the entire story planned out. Only a few details to iron out, but I intend to have healthy spaces between each update. This will allow me to make sure I have everything woven like I want and paced right. Thanks go out to my boardmates for helping me to make my writing better for this story. The rating is for some things I have planned for future chapters.


	2. Shego Arrives

Disclaimer: I don't own Kim Possible or its characters. I did make up the world and this story.

Chapter 2 

A cool wind blew across the grassy hills, carrying the scent of rain. Dark clouds filled the sky, blocking the mid-morning sun. Bright energy flashed as a swirling mass of light formed in the air. For several minutes, the anomaly writhed in the air with energy flaring off it. With a quick flash of brilliance, a green and black clad form tumbled forth; and the disturbance collapsed in on itself.

Feeling nausea coming, Shego was able to at least get on her hands and knees. Her hair hung to the ground as sweat covered her face and her body was wracked with shivering. The dark haired woman could only see the ground beneath her as all of her willpower was focused on not emptying the contents of her stomach. For what seemed an eternity, darkness encroached on her vision; and her body convulsed with muscle spasms.

When the sickness passed, Shego rose shakily to her feet. Now able to pay attention to her surroundings, she found herself circled by armored men with circular shields and swords at the ready. In the distance, she could hear horns trumpeting. Probably calling for reinforcements.

One of the men stepped forward to address her. "Okdzrd, rszmc ezrs, zmc xnt vhkk ad gzqldc. Kriger rgzkk zqqhud rnnm."

"No idea what you said, but you're not taking me that easy." Igniting green flames around her hands, Shego could feel the power suffuse her entire being. The smile of confidence was short-lived when the knights took combative stances instead of fleeing like superstitious cowards.

The man kept his shield in front of him, but he motioned the others to back up some. He edged a little closer. "Okdzrd, rszmc cnvm. Kriger rgntkc ad zakd sn zrrhrs xnt."

Growling, Shego chose to strike while she still had a chance of getting away. The man was barely able to get his shield set when the pale woman sent him sailing through the air with an energy blast.

Seeing their comrade struck, the knights fell into two concentric circles with each member spaced just far enough to leave no gaps. The outer ring took an offset position to cover the spaces in the inner circle and support them as well. Shego looked around in wide-eyed fear. Not only were these guys unfazed by her display of power, they already had a formation to deal with her. With a yell, she went for a leaping punch on a soldier to her side. As if waiting for the attack, he deflected her punch with his shield and punched her stomach. Falling on her back, she quickly rolled back to her feet.

Shego's eyes darted around, trying to find a weak point. She glanced at the eyes of each soldier, and what she could see worried her. These were the eyes of men that had a long history with combat. Each one showed complete confidence in himself and his comrades to win without dismissing her as a threat. With time running out, and reinforcements probably on the way, Shego opted to forgo strategy for chaos. Faking forward, she charged to her left with as many green plasma blasts preceding her as she could. Hoping to distract them so she could somersault over, she failed to see the two figures angle in from the sides.

Shego was barely able to leap back as the men's shields knocked up her arms, and their swords slashed across her abdomen. She put her hand to her belly where she could still feel the touch of the weapons. Her glove came off bloodless, though her flesh showed white through the gashes.

The young woman glared at the men before her. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to get these jumpsuits?!" she yelled. With a feral cry, the dark-haired woman's fear for her life pushed her to hysteria. She attacked anyone she could get to with flying feet and flaming fists. Each assault was expertly rebuffed, and all she had to show for her efforts was a uniform hanging in tatters from harrying slashes. The part of her mind that was still thinking attributed her luck so far to finely honed reflexes.

Once again, Shego found herself searching for an opening like a cornered animal. Thinking she heard someone say her name, she noticed a tall, fair-haired man a distance away with a look of recognition on his face. Standing to full height, she reflexively tried to place where he might remember her from. Shego failed to notice the soldier behind her until she felt the blow to her head, and everything going black.

---

Shego came to with a start, shaking her head to clear the pain before realizing there wasn't any. She immediately regretted her sudden movement as it had caused her chains to rattle. Lying down as best she could, Shego strained to hear a muffled conversation and retreating steps. To late to do anything now, she would just deal with things as they arose.

The young woman took the time she had to evaluate her situation. From what she could tell, she was in a cool dungeon cell. The floor was covered with straw, and the air wasn't too dank. She could feel they'd replaced her jumpsuit with a long shirt and left her underwear. At least they'd allowed her to maintain her decency. She admonished herself for showing how dangerous she was. The woman had been blindfolded and a leather bit was secured between her teeth. A metal pole was connected to the back of her collar that also secured her arms behind her with manacles at her elbows and wrists. The other end of the pole was chained to the ground, giving her room to move but not enough to stand. The only thing she couldn't figure out was some kind of pendant hanging at her throat.

Shego quickly feigned sleep when she heard approaching footsteps and some unintelligible conversation. When the door opened, she willed her muscles to relax and kept her breathing deep and even.

"H rvdzq rgd lnudc, Kriger," one voice said.

"H adkhdud xnt. Zmc dzrx dmntfg sn bhdbj," another voice replied. This one was almost familiar, but she couldn't place it.

The young woman sensed the man kneel beside her. After a few moments, his hand lightly moved across the side of her ribs. Shego was able to keep from tensing but feared what he would do in her vulnerable state. What he did do was not anything she expected. His fingers played along her side, tickling her. Unable to hold out, she laughed around the bit and wriggled away from the torture.

While she recovered from the tickling, the man removed the blindfold and bit. Shego took a quick appraisal of him while he removed the rest of her bindings. He was the man that seemed to recognize her on the hill. Now that she could see him better, he reminded her of someone. He was a head taller than her; a well-built man with long blond hair and a trimmed beard. His dark eyes held a hint of joyful innocence. Rather handsome.

When he had removed all the restraints, the blond man put his dark blue cloak around her. She noticed the silver clasp was designed to look like two monkeys gripping the cloak with their tails hooking together. The man now looked unassuming in a red tunic, dark trousers, and dull leather boots.

Setting a pair of sandals on the ground, he assisted the young woman up though she was faking weakness and disorientation. When he put a hand to the small of her back to steady her, Shego pinned his arm against her body and lashed out with a plasma-filled punch. "Not today, pretty boy!"

With obvious lack of concern, the tall man caught her fist in his hand. Blue energy surrounded it and better illuminated the easygoing grin and mirthful brown eyes. "Does that mean I'm not the buffoon anymore, Shego?" he asked in a very familiar but somewhat deeper voice.

"Stoppable," she spat, disentangling herself.

"I missed you, too," Ron beamed at her.

A/N 

Thanks for the positive reviews. You can see now why I didn't have a teaser paragraph for where they end up. There won't be any dimension hopping, but some things will be explained in the next few chapters.


	3. Shego Arrives 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Kim Possible, nor the language. I grabbed that from a famous author. It's a simple cryptogram, though.

Chapter 3 

Shego glared at the blond man, the dim illumination casting them both in deep shadows. "I'm gonna kill Dr. D for this," she muttered to herself. "Since you speak English, I'm guessing you're from my dimension and not some double that thinks I'm his long lost lover returned to him?" she asked, snidely.

Ron smiled wide. "Man, I never thought I'd miss your lippy attitude. But, yeah, you got it. Welcome to Ttakepa. Or, more precisely, the kingdom of Mulig."

When they stepped out of the cell, the man on guard duty snapped to attention and brought his right arm across his chest in salute. "Cn xnt qdpthqd zmx zrrhrszmbd, Kriger?" the man asked.

"Sgzmj xnt, mn," Ron replied. "Xnt gzud cnmd lnqd sgzm dmntfg, bzoszhm. Xntq rptzc gzr kdzud tmshk sgd nsgdq qdstqm zmc z edv czxr zesdq. Fnnc ina."

"Xdr, rhq." The soldier bowed at the waist to both in turn and left.

Shego looked at the blond man curiously. She might not understand what was said, but she could read the body language. "What's up with everyone calling you that name and the little army of yours?"

He looked at his companion inquisitively. "You mean being called Kriger? Funny story. Turns out there was an outlaw named Ronstro Pobla. So, the king called me Kriger for the impression of me when we met. Ronstro was eventually caught and executed, but everyone had been calling me Kriger for years," he explained while they walked down the torch-lit hallway.

Shego mulled over his words for a few moments. "How long have you been here?"

Ron scratched his chin thoughtfully. "About eight and a half years."

The pale woman stopped in shock. It didn't bother her that he was older than her now, though it did explain his appearance. What worried her was that she would have to depend on Stoppable for everything. A world she knew nothing about, and a language she couldn't understand. She'd forced herself to learn various languages just so she didn't have to depend on anyone to get things done. It might be years before they could get back home, if ever. She was brought out of her daze by fingers snapping in front of her eyes.

"Are you ok, Shego?" he asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. "Must be relapse from the portal."

The blond nodded. "Something else you might think about, don't go by Shego here."

The woman grinned wickedly. "I don't have a problem with a nefarious reputation."

Ron shrugged. "That's up to you since there's no one named Shego around. Point is that this is a chance to live your life how you want. A new name would help keep that mindset. You always seemed to hate being the sidekick. You can be just about anything you want here. But, if you just want to go home, I could use your help."

The two started the long climb up the spiral stone staircase in silence. Shego contemplated what had been said. She didn't have enough to make a long-term decision, but it couldn't be too bad if Stoppable was prospering. Villain sidekick life wasn't exactly glamorous either; life here might be interesting. "Might as well give it a shot. I'll go by Chloe; it's my real name."

"I know. It was in the files Team Go gave Global Justice. Hego's files filled in quite a few gaps in your records."

Shego ran a hand across her face. "I knew I should have erased those files while I had the chance." The young woman stopped and sat on one of the steps, breathing hard. "There's an end to these stairs, right?"

Ron chuckled. "Yeah, just a bit farther," he said, sitting as well. "This dungeon is buried to hold the most dangerous prisoners. The more dangerous, the deeper you go. You were on the bottom."

"Go me," she said sarcastically. "Tell me more what to expect in this world."

"Well, from what I can figure, it's like what our home would be like if magic was a major force of nature. A lot of the same animals exist, but they evolved differently. It's a medieval lifestyle with magic and mythical monsters. There are some things you'd recognize and not expect like running water or a few of the customs. Kind of like being in a video game."

"Shaving had better be a custom, or you're inventing a way, Stoppable," she groused. "There's no way I'm staying here if I can't shave my legs."

"It is," he assured her, smiling. "The women shave in the same ways as at home, and some professions do as well." Ron stood and held his hand out. "Let's get going. We still need to get you settled into my quarters."

Shego ignored the hand and rose to her feet. Pushing past, she started up the last set of stairs. Finally reaching a bare storeroom, she opened the only door and stepped out into the sunny day. Tilting her head up, she closed her eyes and felt the warmth of the sun on her face. After a few moments, she looked over at Ron. "Wasn't it raining earlier?" she asked conversationally.

He looked back in confusion. "No, it cleared up a few days ago when we got back to the castle." Horror crossed his face as he realized what he'd said.

"I can't believe you'd leave me chained up for that long," Shego exclaimed. "I'd expect it of Drakken, but you're one of the good guys."

"Sorry," the blond apologized nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was afraid you'd be angry and figured you'd blame me for your being here."

"Because it was your fault," the young woman growled. "That stupid beam you swung from knocked me through."

He looked at her sheepishly. "Yeah. That's why I figured you'd blame me." Ron brightened as he continued. "It did give the healing stone a chance to fix your injuries. A few more days and your immune system should be able to keep you healthy."

Shego's hands felt across her body and found her skin to be sweaty but unmarred. When she inspected her hair, she found no wounds; but her tresses were oily and tangled. Blood thickly matted where she had been struck. "Great. I look awful and desperately need a shower."

Ron gestured across the courtyard towards his quarters. Both walked in silence as Shego fumed at the indignity of her appearance. She was broken from her reverie by the calls of a child. Looking up, a young girl with strawberry blonde hair in pigtails was running up. Her companion went to one knee and caught the girl in a big hug. Soon she was squealing with laughter as he playfully growled and tickled her. Shego feigned aloofness while watching from the corner of her eye.

When they were done, the little girl hugged Ron around the neck. "H lhrdc xnt, Ahf Aqnsgdq."

He kissed her on the head. "Hgzc sn vnqj. H aqntfgs azbj z eqhdmc, ats rgd cndr mns jmnv ntq kzmftzfd."

The little girl looked up at Shego with big gray eyes and hid her face in his chest shyly. She peeked out again and quickly hid her face when she saw the woman was looking at her.

Ron listened to something the girl whispered and smiled as he cast a glance at Shego. He whispered something back then looked up at his companion. "Katarin's shy because you're so beautiful, and she thinks I should court you so she can play with you," he explained.

"Playing might be doable. Courting, I don't think so."

The young man relayed the message. Katarin looked at Ron for reassurance, and then stepped over in front of the dark-haired woman. "Thank you, Lady Chloe," she said haltingly, curtsying.

Shego gave a curt nod that elicited a giggle and a big grin. Taking hold of each of their hands, she pulled them across the courtyard, skipping excitedly between them. When they arrived at the simple house, a slender woman with long light brown hair was waiting.

"Hs hr fnnc sn rdd xnt vdkk, Ahf Aqnsgdq," the brunette said, giving him a hug and a peck on the cheek. "Zmc xnt rtqqntmc xntqrdke vhsg vnldm zr trtzk," she teased.

Ron blushed. "Sghr hr Chloe, z eqhdmc eqnl lx vnqkc, Aryana. Rgd vhkk ad rszxhmf vhsg ld tmshk rgd bzm fds rdsskdc," he replied before making introductions to Shego.

Aryana smiled, bowing her head in greeting. "Katarin, hs hr shld enq xntq rstchdr."

"Zkk qhfgs," the young girl said. She gave Ron a kiss on the cheek when he kneeled, then stood in front of Shego expectantly. Seeing the look of confusion, the girl tugged on the woman's cloak. Kneeling, the young woman was surprised by the hug and kiss on the cheek she received. Dumbfounded, she watched as the girl skipped away, followed by the other woman.

"I remember when Katarin was born two years ago," he reminisced. "Even then, she was only too happy to be held. There's not much she can't find joy in." Ron chuckled to himself. "At her last birthday, I promised I'd be at the celebration. The enemy was surprised when I called a halt right in the middle of battle and said I'd be back the next day. Katarin didn't care that I was covered in gore; all that mattered was that I made it. She likes getting a dose of Ron-shine from time to time. When I got back, both armies were drinking together by the campfires and talking about my antics."

Shego stood. "They're not afraid of me."

Ron laughed. "Why should they be afraid of Chloe? I'm telling you, Shego, you can get a new life here. You can be accepted for who you are, truly be yourself."

"Then why do you want my help to get home if it's so wonderful here?" she accused.  
Sadness darkened his entire frame. "I realized how much I cared about Kim. Even if she doesn't feel the same, I have to at least tell her that I love her."

For a brief moment, she could see the lost boy that still lurked within and felt a little homesick as well. "Come on, Stoppable," she said softly, "you've always been a good man. How can she not love you. Now, I'll help you get home if you help me survive here. Start with showing me the shower."

Ron brightened and led her inside. Taking his cloak from her, the young man pointed down the hall. "It's the last door on the left. Some toiletries, towels, and some of my old clothes have already been prepared. I'll have some food ready when you're done."

Giving a grunt of acknowledgement, she found the bathroom and closed the door behind her. It was a simple affair. To one side were a sink, mirror, and bidet. Through an open door across from her, she could see a bath. Across from the sink was a small tiled room that led to the shower stall. Checking her reflection, Shego was pleased to see there wasn't anything a hot shower and sleep wouldn't fix. Dropping her clothing, she took care of a few natural functions and stepped down into the tiled room. On a bench-like shelf were some folded towels, a soapstone, a vial of liquid she assumed was shampoo, and a set of clothes.

Picking up what she needed, the woman set them in a small alcove in the stall and looked for the shower mechanisms. Only seeing a large, domed button, she put her hand against it and felt a warmth pulse from it. Soon water misted from the showerhead and progressed quickly to a steady stream. For a time, she just let the warm water cascade down her body.

As the young woman thoroughly cleaned the grime off her body, her mind wandered through everything that had happened. There were still some unanswered questions, like why a two-year-old girl looked five. Some answers would come later, and that was fine. Her show of compassion to Stoppable angered her. She blamed the little girl for unsettling her. And there was just something about Stoppable that made opening up easy; you knew you wouldn't be judged.

Shego laughed to herself when she thought about the new beginnings spiel. Like she hadn't done that a few times. And he'd prospered here. Could she be any less resourceful? Thinking about all the things she was happy to be leaving behind, she realized what Ron had lost. She'd have to find out how such a co-dependant could make it.

When she was done, she stepped back into the tiled room and dried off. Wishing she'd thought to get a comb, Shego was surprised to see a simple metal comb on top of the clothes. Looking around, she found the clothes she'd left on the floor had been put in a wicker basket. He'd better have liked what he saw because he'd be dead soon.

After combing out her long hair, Shego put it up into a loose bun. Once dressed in the baggy clothes, she caught sight of herself in the mirror. While she definitely looked better, the shirt was trying to slide off a bare shoulder. "Oy. I look like I could be Stoppable's college girlfriend," she muttered to herself.

Exiting the bathroom, the young woman followed the smell of food to the kitchen, the room warmed by the cooking fire. Ron looked over at her. "Huh. I thought those were smaller than that. You look like you could be my college girlfriend," he joked. "If I'd been around to go anyways. We'll go to market tomorrow for some shopping."

Shego leaned onto the table. "If you ever watch me shower again, I'll roast your eyes in the sockets," she menaced.

The blond looked on with confusion. "Um, OK. Hadn't planned on doing it ever. I've been fixing dinner," he replied, setting down two plates of spiced meat and seasoned potatoes."

"You put my clothes in the hamper and left a comb out that wasn't there before," the woman accused.

Realization dawned on his face. "That was Mariella. She and her husband used to live here. Mothering people makes her happy, and her being a ghost doesn't leave much to do."

Shego blanched. "A ghost?"

"Two," he corrected. "Dorsen used to be captain of the guards. Now, they just watch over anyone in the house."

The pale woman took a seat. "I think I need to hear the whole story about you and this place."

Ron sat and took a drink from his mug. "As you know, it all started as a mission to stop Drakken from killing Kim…"

A/N 

Forgot to add an author's note. Nothing was changed in the story itself. Thanks to everyone for the reviews. The next part will be Ron's history, of course. Don't know how many chapters that will be. Could be as many as three depending on how I do things. Glad everyone's been enjoying the story so far. It's not an Evil Dead story, though I guess there might be some similarities. I'll let you be the judge. Hopefully, some of you have cracked the cryptogram I use for Ttakepan. We'll see how things go from here on.


	4. Ron Arrives

A/N 

I have to thank those that have been loyally waiting for the next chapter. Just haven't had the time to really write. And I originally intended this chapter to end farther along; that's part of what's kept me. That'll be where the next one ends, though. I kept thinking it wasn't that far away, so I kept working towards it. It's close to the same length as this chapter, and I haven't even gotten to the last scene. Fortunately, I'd written a good break point. Hopefully, I won't take another three months to get the next chapter. I will be taking a bit of a breather once I get chapter 5 up. I need to collect some details I've written and sketch out plot points for the things I've got planned. It's getting too big for me to keep in my head or on scattered pieces of paper. I'll be working on Bonnie's Big Date during that time as well. So, thanks to those that have enjoyed this story and been eagerly awaiting this next installment. I don't think you'll be disappointed, and I have a couple members at the forum I visit that were invaluable in their editorship.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kim Possible. Wouldn't really know what to do with it if I did.

Chapter 4 

The sun shone brightly upon the grassy field, some scattered trees providing the only shade. The tranquility of the land was broken as a mass of writhing energy formed above the ground. As it expanded, the anomaly ripped into the earth, sending the pieces to unknown destinations. For several minutes, the mass slowly drifted along a slow course. In its wake was left a deep furrow, the sides showing some scoring from the arcs of energy that leapt across the surface.

As if not liking the taste of something it had swallowed, a gangly form was spit forth, landing by the cleft. He left his grappling gun where it dropped from his hand. A coldness gripped his body as the blond figure quickly rose to his hands and knees. He didn't even try to fight the nausea in the hopes he'd feel better faster. Once done, he rose shakily and took a few steps before passing out and falling into the hole. Sprawled out in the cold dirt, Ron was oblivious to the long, steady progression of the vortex, traveling in a westerly direction before it eventually blinked out of existence.

---

As the young blond slowly woke, he wished he hadn't. The pounding pain in his head was a match for the aches that suffused his body. Every muscle protested as he struggled to sit up against the side of the hole. Letting the cool earth soothe his body, Ron evaluated his situation.

He knew he was sitting in a hole gouged out by the portal. It was early morning, so he'd been unconscious for over twelve hours. The portal had disappeared hours ago and wasn't a viable way home. He figured his best bet was to wait for Kim here. There were plenty of fruit-bearing trees within eyesight of his location, and no one was nearby for miles.

With a plan made, Ron relaxed and let his mind wander. He frowned as something nagged at him. After a few moments, it came to him. How could he know all that if he still hadn't opened his eyes or moved farther than three feet? And, even with that realization, he was certain of his knowledge.

Not wanting to waste effort on it, Ron let it go for now. His body still ached, and the best thing for that was sleep. So he did the one thing that always put him out: meditation. Within minutes, the young boy was snoring lightly. Unbeknownst to him, a blue aura glowed softly around him, wisps of energy rising off of him.

---

The midday sun becoming too much for him, Ron stretched and looked around in confusion. Remembering where he was, he climbed out to get some food. Fortunately, there were some pieces of fruit on the lower branches of a nearby tree. Sitting in the shade of the tree, the young boy pulled out his Ronnunicator. Switching to the calendar function, he compared the relative time and season. Both seemed to match, so this was probably a different Earth and not a different time. Entering a few notes, Ron shut it down to basic standby. The battery could last a long time, but it would last longer if he didn't use it. Only the homing beacon was drawing power now. Wade would still be able to locate it and remote operate it. A small blinking light would also tell him if there were any messages.

For the next several days, Ron spent his time resting, eating, or training. Not wanting to go farther away than necessary, the blond quickly became bored. He blamed his lack of dedication for the predicament. It was also the only thing he could do that would kill time. Ron had tried to summon the Lotus Blade in case he needed to defend himself, but it was like seeing underwater. He could sense something that felt like it and tried to respond, but it never came. So he used various fallen tree limbs as practice weapons.

It was over a week before he sensed the approach of a person. Climbing a tree, he hid himself among the foliage. As the figure approached, he heard barking and some bleating. When they came into sight, Ron nearly fell out of the tree. There was a herd of multicolored sheep and a huge dog with an oversized muzzle. The boy seemed normal enough. Looked to be a shepherd with the staff he carried.

For the rest of the day, Ron remained concealed in the tree. The boy was vigilant over his flock, his eyes continually scanning for predators or wandering sheep. The dog was his biggest concern. When it had the chance, it would follow his scent along the ground. Fortunately, it gave up, seeming to view him as non-threatening. It took a monumental amount of will to keep from eating. He'd had to cover his belly to prevent his rumbling stomach from giving him away.

As sundown approached, the boy collected his herd and went back home. Once he was past the horizon, Ron ate until his hunger was satiated. He'd stopped longing for a naco and now wished for variety.

---

Ron struggled weakly to climb a tree some distance from where the boy usually stood watch. For the last few days, the shepherd had left him some meats and bread as well as talking loud enough for him to hear. The food helped his hunger, but the young blond was still getting sicker. He knew it wasn't poisoning because it had started before the kid gave him food.

Nearly to his usual refuge, Ron held on as another coughing fit took him. When it passed, he reached up with a shaky hand, trying to feel his way since his eyes wouldn't focus. Missing the intended branch, Ron tumbled down through the tree limbs. As his body bounced from branch to branch, his shoulder dislocated, and one limb gave him a concussion. Unable to cushion his fall, the blond felt his arm break before his head struck the ground and sent him into unconsciousness.

---

Ron slowly woke, his thought filled with the feeling of weight on his chest and difficulty breathing. When he opened his eyes, he was face to beak with a very large, sleeping fowl. "Ah! Mutant chicken!" the blond yelled, trying to get away. He settled down when pain shot through his shoulder, but the chicken was startled and flapped its wings as it ran from him.

Checking himself, the young boy saw that someone had put his left arm in a sling, and his right arm had been set and splinted. The shepherd boy must have found him. Looking around, he noticed the modest home was sparse but comfortable. A stew sat simmering over a fire. Glancing out the window, Ron blushed with embarrassed annoyance. On a clothesline hung his clothes. His boxers flapped in the wind like a flag.

After a quick inspection, in which he found he was wearing someone's pants, Ron steeled himself to get his stuff and sneak back to where the portal had appeared. Before he had a chance to move, a dowdy woman in a simple dress and apron came in carrying a basket of laundry. Seeing he was awake, the woman smiled warmly and set the basket down on a table. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she spoke in soothing tones while she checked his injuries. Ron watched warily as she made adjustments, then she felt his forehead and bare chest with a hand. Seeming satisfied with what she found, she moved a crystal pendant back to his chest where it had fallen unnoticed from and kissed the top of his head.

Ron struggled to remain on guard, though it was difficult with the doting he was receiving. Kim's mom had been like this whenever she took care of him. He was like part of their family. One of those little things you take for granted. The woman was even feeding him some of the stew.

He was surprised at the speed of his recovery. By the end of the day, his shoulder was only a little stiff. Ron tried to get up a few times, but the woman kept brandishing her cooking spoon at his head. The blond was able to figure out her husband was the village tailor, and he had apprentices of various levels tend to the more menial tasks. He used the wool from the sheep to make fabrics. The youngest child tended the flock; the other children had grown and moved to their own lives. More of that strange intuition.

When the husband came home, he was curt but courteous. The young boy got the impression the man didn't trust him. He probably thought Ron was going to rob him. Every once in a while, the man would scowl and say something. His wife would laugh and wave off his concerns. Maybe he was mad the youth was wearing his pants. He wasn't sure where that thought came from.

When the young shepherd returned at sunset, he talked non-stop. It seemed like the kid was asking questions and then answering his own questions about himself. Ron tried to figure out what was being said, but he only got impressions when he wasn't trying. The native boy even showed him a map of where he was.

The field the blond had appeared at was a few hours away. Equidistant to it and the village was the main castle of Mulig. Well, that decided where he was going when he got better. Smarter to wait for Kim in a populated area. He might be able to find work to support himself until help arrived. And someone would be able to help him if he got sick again.

By the next day, Ron was deemed healed. The sling and splint were removed, but he was still confined to bed rest. For the rest of the day, the young blond slept or allowed the woman to fuss over him.

Awakening in the middle of the night from another nap, Ron listened intently until he was certain everyone was asleep. Silently getting out of the bed, he tripped over a large object by his feet. Scrambling to a kneeling position, he strained to hear any signs he'd woken the family. Letting out his breath when none came, he inspected the object of his downfall. It was a backpack sitting atop a pair of pants, shirt, and cloak. All were folded neatly with a pair of simple boots beside them. Inside, he found his clothes and equipment along with a change of clothes. In a side case was a map that adjusted itself to orient with the direction he was facing.

Replacing the map, the young blond got dressed in the new clothes. Taking one last look as he stood in the doorway, he promised himself he would repay their kindness if he ever got the chance. Ron checked the bar and hoop clasp, then drew the cloak protectively around his body. With steps more confident than he felt, he started on to his next destination.


	5. Ron Arrives 2

Chapter 5 

Progress was slow, even for night travel. Ron couldn't stop playing with the map. It seemed to draw light from the moon to provide its own clear luminescence. It showed his position as a moving dot and was detailed enough that he doubted he could ever get lost. Quickly rotating the map back and forth, he marveled at how it was more like moving a piece of glass than parchment. The boy was even able to figure out how to adjust the zoom and check other parts of the map. As far as he was concerned, the only way the thing could be better was if it automatically mapped his progress in dungeons.

It was early afternoon before he made it to the castle. The bustling marketplace was immediately through the main gate and assaulted him with all its sights, sounds, and smells. While all the wares being barked out looked cool, it was the crowd that amazed him the most. Most of the people were human like him, but many were not. Some looked like half-man, half-animal creatures only seen in myths and legends; a fair amount looked totally alien. The blond nearly walked into a signpost when a red-skinned, winged woman with dark eyes noticed him staring at her barely clothed lithe form and gave him a wink and a wave of her sinuous tail.

Ron wandered around the town looking for some place he could work for his lodging without being able to talk to anyone. His enjoyment of the town was short-lived as he heard cries of pain down a nearby alley. "Knew something like this would happen," the boy muttered to himself. Turning the corner, he saw a well-dressed man hitting a prone figure with a cane.

Rushing forward, Ron caught the cane before it swung down again. He used his momentum to pivot on one foot and push the attacker back with a palm strike. Losing the cane to the young boy, the man tumbled to the ground, and then ran off.

Once sure he wouldn't be back, the young blond knelt to minister to the figure. It turned out to be a beggarly man cradling some fruits and bread. He gave the man the healing stone from his pack and was surprised to see the minor injuries fade within a few minutes. As soon as the man was ready, Ron helped him to his feet.

Looking around warily, the boy got a foreboding feeling. Grabbing his new companion to make a run for it, he saw that two men at each end of the alley blocked their escape. He could feel the menace emanating from them as they approached. His fears were validated when he caught a glimpse of the man from before sneering at him from around a corner.

The looks in their eyes told him they thought he would be easy prey. Now that he could see them better, he noticed they were all dressed in the same light armor with an emblem on their breasts. If there was anything worse than a bad cop, it was a corrupt one.

One of the soldiers strode forward and grabbed him by his shirt. Instinctively, Ron easily broke the grip and punched him back. The man swung at the blond only to be thrown back beside his friend. All four surged in with a flurry of punches. Not one found its mark as he dodged with unnatural contortions of his body.

Within moments, Ron had sent each one flying to land in individual heaps. The youth hoped they would just walk away. He wanted to try to fight without anyone getting hurt. That desire died when each soldier got to his feet and drew his sword. The looks of rage that filled their face told him they had no qualms about hurting him.

Ron looked around for anything to use as a weapon. Seeing the merchant's cane still leaning on his backpack, the young boy quickly grabbed it and readied himself. "Man, the Lotus Blade would be so useful right now," he mumbled. The four men circled him like a pack of wolves around prey. When they attacked, the young boy wasn't there. Having rolled under the weapons, Ron was making a run for the marketplace. The alley was too large to provide any close-quarters benefits. At least out there, he would be able to take them more one-on-one.

The blond used the open area to keep the four soldiers from making any kind of coordinated attack. The fight quickly drew a crowd of onlookers enjoying how he dodged attacks and used the environment to evade or slow his opponents. Ron took some light slashes and punches now that he had to worry about keeping anyone in the crowd from getting hurt. He also realized he couldn't keep track of everyone now. Kim wouldn't have made that mistake, Ron chided himself.

The youth was growing fatigued, and he didn't know how much longer he could go. The soldiers looked as bad as he was. Blood ran down their faces, and their armor had a dent for each of his strikes. He just couldn't get the leverage to hit them hard enough. Ron marveled that he had been able to keep up this long. Practice really does pay off.

Catching sight of more soldiers coming through the crowd, Ron was caught unawares when his adversaries tackled him and rained down a flurry of fists. His last thought was of the beggar before unconsciousness took him. He hoped the guy got away safely.

---

The young boy slowly woke with a groan. The feel of the cold stone floor on his cheek, and the coarse ropes binding his wrists behind him, made him think he was in some villain's castle. That was until he remembered how he got all those cut and bruises he could still feel. Wriggling across the floor, Ron propped himself against the wall. He figured he might as well get comfortable while he waited. Execution seemed too extreme for attacking soldiers. Maybe imprisonment was his punishment. A shame, too. Kim would have been proud of how well he had fought. But the Ronnunicator was in his backpack, so she probably wouldn't be able to track him down now.

Boredom quickly set in, and the minutes dragged on. He thought about the things he had done with his life and the regrets. Ron thought about the dozen things he could have done to not fall through Drakken's device. He hoped the beam hadn't hit Kim or Shego; they were on the other side. The youth's thoughts circled over and over for what seemed an eternity. That eternity ended when the cell door opened and two guards entered. "Nm xntq edds, anx. Sgd jhmf hr qdzcx sn rdd xnt," one said as they lifted him by his arms.

"Cool, am I getting bumped up to first class? I gotta tell you, the view in this room's not so great." Ron looked back and forth at the two men, his smile having no effect on their stony expressions. Sighing, he allowed himself to be led down the dim hallway.

After a winding stairwell and another hallway, they entered a large room bare of any furniture or trappings save a heavy wooden table. Seated at the table was a middle-aged man in regal armor. The golden crown that rested upon his sandy hair confirmed Ron's assessment of the man's bearing. A line of soldiers stood at attention against the sidewalls.

His two escorts took flanked positions once he was kneeling. For a time, the king's piercing gaze searched the boy's features. Ron nervously licked at a cut in his lip as the silence grew longer. "WVgzs hr xntq mzld, rnm?" the king finally asked.

Ron looked at the man in confusion. "I don't understand what you're saying," he replied with a slight lisp.

The king studied him another moment. "He xnt sqtkx bzmmns rodzj ntq snmftd, H rdd mn qdzrnm mns sn dwdbtsd xnt. Rtqdkx xnt vhkk mns ad lhrrdc," he said in an off-hand tone.

The boy's brow furrowed in concentration. "Um, okay, I guess. Not really sure what's going on, but they attacked me first."

The king nodded slightly, and then pointed to his chest. "Martis Mulig." He then pointed at Ron with an expectant look.

Understanding lit Ron's face. "Oh, my name. Ron Stoppable."

Ron didn't know what he had said wrong, but he knew he was in trouble when every soldier drew his sword. Twisting, the youth rolled onto his back and caught the descending arms of one of his guards with his feet while he positioned his arms so that the other guard's sword only cut through his bonds. Windmilling his legs, he drove back the soldiers before flipping to his feet in a fighting stance.

The boy's eyes flitted around, trying to keep track of everyone. As the standoff lengthened, Ron's hair began lifting as if blown by an unnatural wind. Arcs of energy randomly leaped along his body as his mounting apprehension drew upon his mystical energies.

Like thunder in the silence, the clapping broke the building tension. With a hearty laugh, the king rose and walked up to Ron, dismissing the soldiers with a wave of his hand. Putting an arm around the boy's shoulder, he led the confused youth down another hallway. After exiting the building, Ron was stunned by the beauty of the courtyard. The trees were in full bloom, and the arrangement of colors was breathtaking. Lining the walkways were small flowering plants that complemented the trees. Before Ron knew it, he was standing in a modest home. The king pointed towards several rooms while still talking energetically. The excited friendliness of the armored man only served to make him more nervous.

Once he had completed the tour, the king clapped the youth on the shoulders and closed the door behind him with a wave. For a long while, Ron stared at the closed door, not sure what to make of the situation he now found himself in. With nothing to occupy his attention any longer, the youth realized how dirty and disheveled he was. Wrinkling his nose, Ron searched for some clean clothes. Unable to find anything he felt comfortable wearing, the blond searched fruitlessly for any toiletries in the bathroom. He was able to locate towels but nothing else.

Resigning himself, he tossed his clothes into the nearby hamper and stepped into the shower stall. Staring at the domed crystal embedded in the way, Ron tried to work out the mechanism. After several failed attempts, the young man leaned against the wall, his hand against the stone. Hearing something rumbling behind the wall, Ron looked up only to receive a face full of warm water. By the time the coughing fit had subsided, the water had taken a pleasant heat, and he washed off as much of the grime as possible.

Feeling refreshed, if not totally clean, Ron put his pants back on. They were still fairly clean and were better than nothing. Walking around the house to better familiarize himself with it, the young man heard a melodic humming. Follow the tune, he found a young girl with long brown hair dusting in one of the bedrooms, her back to him. Entranced, he watched as she sang softly to herself, dancing lightly from spot to spot. When she caught sight of the blond standing in the doorway, she froze in surprise. Ron could clearly see the apprehension in her bright aquamarine eyes. The youth smiled nervously and gave a little wave.

The brunette wrapped her arms around herself as she fidgeted, blushing deeply. She allowed her hair to obscure her face as she tried to shrink within herself while she tried not to stare at him. Sudden realization dawned on Ron, and he rushed to find a shirt. In his haste, he tripped over his own feet and fell to the floor with a loud thud. The young girl rushed to help him up and quickly checked him over. "Guess I should slow down," he chuckled, flashing a goofy grin.

The girl giggled, smiled warmly and brushing her hair back with a hand. For several moments, she basked in the moment before blushing a deep crimson again at how close she was to his bare torso. Without a word, she ran out of the room. Shortly after, Ron heard the front door slam shut. Again left to stare dumbfounded, he wondered what he'd gotten himself into.

Finishing his exploration of the house, Ron found some food and fixed something to eat. With the sun long since past the horizon, and nothing else to do, the blond lay in bed. His thoughts were a flurry of activity as his situation pressed upon him. While he was usually an optimist, even he could see the futility of just waiting for Kim. But what other choice did he have. He had no doubt that she would do everything she could to rescue him, but everything might not be enough. And he wasn't even in control of events here. Who knows what kind of plans the king had for him. Nothing was making sense yet.

Soon, tears began streaming down his face. With no idea if he would ever see anyone he loved again, loneliness and despair constricted his heart. Sleep did not bring blissful release. Ron continued to shed tears between bouts of restless slumber. It was only when his blanket slid itself back from where he had kicked it, and an ethereal hand caressed his face, did he settle down to a comfortable rest. A light song flittered through his dreams, easing the pain in his soul.

A/N 

Yep, I'm still alive. Took me longer than expected to work out exactly how I wanted the last half to go. I'm fairly pleased. Been tough making the time to work on it, but I'm still going at it. As promised in the last chapter, I'll be working on the next chapter of Bonnie's Big Date. Might be going back and forth working on that and a couple of other ideas I've got. Hope this has been worth the wait.


	6. Ron Arrives 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Ron Stoppable or Shego. Just about everything else is created to further the plot.

Chapter 6

The sun shed it's warmth as it slowly traveled its course through the sky. The quiet of the courtyard was only broken by the chirping of birds in the trees. Unmoving in the middle of the grassy clearing sat a blond youth, his eyes closed as he controlled his slow breathing. For the last month, Ron's days had been spent going through the same routine. He would start the day with martial arts training. Around midday, a tutor would come by; and he would follow this up with meditation. The youth had already worked his way up to a scholar's level. Ron was now learning other basic subjects like math, history, and geography. It still frustrated him that he never learned this fast in school. But with no Kim, he only had himself to rely upon. No more goofy Ron.

The king made frequent visits of the young man. Ron's initial distrust was soon dispelled as the man was more than willing to discuss his ulterior motive of making the blond a kriger, a mystic warrior of the kingdom. As time went on, his increasing competency allowed them to communicate better. He found Martis Mulig to be a man of peace and possessing a strong love of knowledge. The king could never get enough of the young man's tales of his home world. Even the education Ron was receiving was more about providing the teen the ability to function here than using him as a weapon for the kingdom. Many an evening would be spent with the king enraptured by a story even so mundane as teaching home economics.

Ron was an honest person and thought nothing of including details many would have edited out or inflating his own importance. But the king never once looked down upon him. One is no less or more safe whether it was at the hand of man, woman, or beast. The nobleman even saw his clumsiness as an admirable quality. He had seen firsthand how humor kept his soldiers from succumbing to fear, for every archer knows that a bow kept drawn too long can break within his hands. It took him a while to accept that someone was seeing him as Ron Stoppable and not as that guy with Kim Possible.

Aside from being trapped in some strange world, things were going pretty well for him. Ron knew he was lucky things had turned out like this. He had been befriended by a king and given a place to live. If he needed to buy anything, he just had to give a marker to the merchant; the treasurer would pay the bill. The one thing he was still getting used to was that he was dating the maid he had met before, Linsha. The petite brunette reminded him of Tara in how innocent and shy she was. And just like the blonde cheerleader, you could see the strength of character within her eyes.

The youth was broken from his reflection when he sensed the presence of someone hiding behind a tree. Smiling inward, he wondered to himself if the young princess would approach him this time. The blond knew Aryanna was only taking his measure. She was one of the topics of discussions he'd had with the king. The staff tolerated her because she was royalty. Even her father knew she was a brat, but he hadn't found how to improve her attitude yet. And like any good father, he blamed himself for how rotten she treated those below her station. The best he'd been able to do was to make her understand that she was not to interrupt the duties of the soldiers.

The small girl cautiously crept up until she was standing face to face with him. She jumped when he poked her belly.

"_What can I do for you, princess?"_ he asked, opening his eyes.

The young girl stomped her foot. "_Teach me that thing you do,"_ she commanded.

Ron looked at her and arched a brow. "_I don't really have anything to cook with here."_

The young girl frowned. "_The fighting you do alone in the morning. You're not a soldier, so you can teach me."_

The teen looked sadly at the girl. "_No._"

Aryanna was stunned. "_Why not?_" she whined.

"_Martial arts is about power. It is a way of life. You've already shown how you abuse the power you have,_" he answered.

"_But, but I'm a princess. You have to do what I say,_" she stated, near tears.

"_The king already told me that I have the same status as he does. That's right. I'm bad; you're sad. I'm bad; you're sad," _Ron taunted her.

"_You're mean,_" the princess pouted.

The blond tapped his chin thoughtfully. "_Nice try at the Puppy Dog Pout. But it's missing something._" He stood up. "_Kind of lacking the innocence."_

The young girl threw herself to the ground, kicking and screaming.

Ron sighed and walked off without giving a backwards glance.

He was almost back to his home when the brunette child caught up to him. "_You left me_" she accused and kicked him in the shin.

The young man screamed in pain as he hopped on one leg while holding his injury. When the pain subsided he glared at the girl. "_I'll make you a deal. If you can prove yourself ready, then I'll teach you some moves._"

"_How am I supposed to do that?"_

Ron smiled. "_That's the first lesson."_ Without another word, he stepped into his house and closed the door in the girl's face.

---

Ron briskly walked across the courtyard, trying to escape his obnoxious shadow. For a week, he'd regretted his words. With a quick look over his shoulder, he missed the little brunette tackle his legs from the other side. Only natural reflexes saves the young man from injuring himself as he fell, though it did leave him dazed.

"_Tell me what I have to do. I order you to tell me." _Aryanna declared as she crawled her way onto his back.

"_You know, the princess back home don't act anything like this,_" he grunted.

"_Tell me,"_ she yelled, punching him in the back of the shoulder.

"_If you don't get off, I'll get your dad to let me tell you fairy tales before bed again,"_ Ron threatened.

"_I don't care about your horror stories; you said they weren't real. Now, show me how you fight," _the girl commanded again, tugging on his shirt.

"_At least I told you about that. There are ghosts living in my house,"_ he rebutted.

"_Mariella and Dorson are nice ghosts. They're nice to me," _Aryanna argued.

"_What could a boy that gets beaten by a child teach about fighting, Lady Aryanna," _a soldier stated and joined in laughter with his compatriot.

The princess stomped up to the two men. "_I've seen him practice. And I heard he beat some bad soldiers in the market."_

"_He did a few acrobatic jumps to dodge them. Nothing more than tricks,"_ the other soldier argued.

Aryanna turned to the young blond whom was now dusting himself off. "_Show them how you fight. Beat them up._"

Ron looked at her with some confusion. "_Why? I have no reason to fight them._"

"_They don't believe you are any good. Show them."_

"_It doesn't matter what they believe. That's not how it works. The only thing that separates me from a thug is my honor."_

"_So, he's a coward and a wimp," _the first soldier yelled as he guffawed.

The laughter died instantly when the two soldiers felt a hand on each of their shoulders and saw the auburn haired man those hands were attached to. The regal bearing and hard look in his eyes made it impossible to not to recognize the man's authority. "_The kriger is no coward and no wimp. Would a coward fight a group of armed soldiers with naught but a wooden cane for no more reason than the protection of a bedraggled man? Were they bare of armor as he was, this man would surely have bested them all. Now, I believe that you both are late for your duty in helping the kitchen staff."_

"_Um, no, sir. That isn't our duty; we have leave today," _one soldier replied nervously.

The man glared at the subordinate. "_You misunderstand. You are late for your duty in helping the kitchen staff today."_

The two soldiers quickly saluted and ran towards the castle.

"_Why did you do that?_" Aryanna frowned up at the man.

He grinned at her and turned to face the young teen, extending his hand. "_Greetings. I am Baureen, commander of the patrol forces and son to the king."_

Ron shook his hand. "_Uh, nice to meet you, Your Highness. Everybody calls me Kriger."_

Aryanna tugged on the man's shirt. "_Brother, the kriger won't show me how he fights. Make him show me."_

"_I believe you were told of a prerequisite for that display, and I'll not disrespect our guest by forcing one of your whims upon him," _he admonished his sister. "_I do admit to some curiosity myself. Perhaps when you have a free afternoon we could have a friendly match,"_ he replied to the blond.

"_I'll have to decline. I'm not comfortable showing off. Sorry, dude," _Ron apologized.

"_Think nothing of it. Just as my father has an interest in new technologies, so to do I have an interest in the various styles and methods of combat."_

Aryanna looked between the two men before taking her sibling's hand between hers and gently shaking it. "_Will you be visiting long, Brother? We don't get to see you anymore."_

The prince rubbed the top of her head. "_I know, little one; but I have many responsibilities and my own family to look after. I'll be here for the next few days. I promise to visit with you."_

"_Okay,_" she replied quietly, no trace of the joy one might expect.

---

Ron sat on his front porch, waiting for the inevitable arrival of his little shadow. Baureen should have left to meet his unit by now. He had watched how he and his sister had interacted while he was here and realized he was doing more damage than good with how he acted with Aryanna. So, he was waiting for her and try his new plan.

The princess stopped short when she saw the young blond simply sitting there instead of leaping around a corner and screaming for his life. Strutting imperiously the rest of the way, she smiled smugly. "_Finally decided to give up and teach me?"_

Ron stood up and put his hand on her shoulder to walk beside him. "_Nope. You're coming with me to the market._"

The brunette looked up at the young man in confusion. "_Are we buying something? For me?"_

"_Naw, I like to go there once in a while to help out. Run an errand here and there," _he replied.

"_Why?"_ she inquired.

"_Where I come from, it was something me and Kim did all the time. Besides, it feels good to know you've helped someone,"_ Ron answered.

"_What kind of things do you get for doing things?"_

_"I don't ask for payment. It's just for the warm feeling of brightening someone's day. And I know that if I need help, I can go to them."_

When they reached the marketplace, the teen took the young girl's hand while they walked around. Aryanna watched as several people waved their greetings to the young man. Sometimes, they would stop and chat with the merchants. After a while, she had forgotten why they were there and excitedly dragged her companion to different stores and stalls to look at the new wares. It was just past midday when they came across a merchant that needed some sacks of horse oats delivered to a stable just outside town.

"_Do we have to do this?"_ the little girl whined. "_Can't we just keep walking around?"_

"_This is what we're here to do,"_ Ron replied while he tied the eight sacks into pairs connected by lengths of rope.

"_But I don't wanna do this,"_ Aryanna sulked.

The blond hung a set on each shoulder and one from his neck before he stood. "_Here, hold these," _he stated, handing her the last set and walked off.

The princess took them without thinking. When she realized her companion was leaving, she called out for him and ran to catch up while trying to look around the bundle she held in front of herself.

---

Ron lay on the couch he had on his porch, the sun warmly shining done. Lying on his chest was Aryanna, her ear to his chest. "_You said you'd teach me how you fight. Why am I listening to your heart?" _she asked.

"_You're learning meditation. It's just as important to develop your mind as your body. Close your eyes and try to match your breathing to mine. Let the beating of your heart become one with mine,"_ he coached.

The young man watched as she followed his words and slowly fell asleep. He smiled as he took in the peaceful features of the girl. It had taken a few months, but the time he spent with her had paid off. No longer was she the palace brat. She enjoyed when they would go into the market and was known to have dinner with him and Linsha on occasion. The girl even helped Ron cook. The king had also told him the change in attitude was with everyone and not just when he was around.

He brushed some stray hair out of her face and gently caressed her check. Ron paused for a moment as the girl stirred before repositioning herself and giving his chest a squeeze. "_Big Brother, love you,"_ she mumbled sleepily and started to snore lightly. The blond lay there stunned for some time. Then a warm feeling came over him. As he let himself drift into sleep, he wondered if this was what it was like to be a father.

A/N

So, that's another chapter down. I've got a timeline written down now, so I can keep track of my plot better. That plus that I've gotten used to this writing style will hopefully mean faster updates. I've seen a couple of movies that have changed a few details for some of the last few scenes, so I'll be ironing those details in my mind. A neat milestone for me is that this is my second story to exceed 10,000 words. For the amount I have planned, I'm pretty sure it will be more than 20,000 words.


	7. Ron Arrives 4

Previously in Ttakepa: Ron is telling Shego about his life before she appeared from the dimensional rift that sent them there. Ron has started making a life within this new culture while still holding hope that Kim will rescue him. He has learned the native language and has started a relationship with one of the castle staff. After spending a few months with Princess Aryanna, he has turned her from being a spoiled brat to a well behaved young girl.

Chapter 7

The tall, sandy haired man silently walked through the large library. His steps were quieted by the thick carpet as he passed various aisles and tables. When he found his target, the man took in the bent form with sad concern. No longer the spindly boy he once was, his form was beginning to settle into the strapping form of the man he had grown into. Taking a seat across from the young blond, King Mulig patiently waited for the young man to take notice past the open tomes spread around him. When he did, it took a moment for recognition to reach the reddened eyes above the scraggly attempts at a beard. "_Yes, your Majesty?_" Ron inquired.

"_Please_," he said, waving off the formalities, "_I thought we agreed you could call me Martis. After all, I am no more than a few years older than you._"

The young man grinned sheepishly. "_Sorry, I keep forgetting. But what can I do for you? I really need to get back to this research._"

"_That was what I wanted to talk to you about. We have missed you these last few weeks, Aryanna and I. Is something wrong?_" the king asked in concern.

The blond sighed. "_I don't belong here._"

The older man looked on in confusion. "_I do not understand. Do you mean the library? I know you said you were never the studious type, but you are free to use these facilities._"

"_No_," he stated, "_I don't belong in this world._"

The king looked at the young man with compassion. "_I know this last year has been hard on you. I have done everything I can to make your stay comfortable. You have done wonders with my daughter, and I think of you like a son. The weapons instructors say you are a joy to teach._"

Ron looked at the man in painful sadness. "_I appreciate everything you've done to make me feel like family, Martis. But Linsha and I found out we aren't able to have children a few months ago. I was finally starting to accept that I'll probably never go home; Kim would have found me if she could._"

"_I am sorry to hear that. Is there nothing that can be done?_"

The youth laughed bitterly. "_We're like two different animals. The irony is that not only are neither of us sterile, but we both have the ability to be highly fertile. She wanted to stick with me, but I know how much she wants children of her own. I couldn't do that to her; I broke up with her a couple weeks ago. Guess it's a good thing, though. What if the kids didn't have my lifespan, half as fast as you? I might have had a grandkid before I had the chance to have a midlife crisis. Having to care for my great grandkids in their old age._"

The king nodded. "_If that is so, then what answer are you looking for?_"

"_Two things. My power has been getting stronger, but I'm having problems controlling it. I've had to go out of the city when I train so that I don't hurt anyone. I've been studying how magic works here. The sorcerers aren't the same as me. I'm an energy channeler, and they are invocators. They use magic more from outside themselves, where I use magic from within._"

The older man absorbed all of this before continuing. "_And the other reason?_"

"_Some way home,_" Ron answered. "_I've found references to some kind of portal, but I haven't found anything about its location or purpose. Or even if it's the same one. I also found a few stories that I think talk about the portal I came through, but it seems to appear in different locations and times. Nothing anyone would be able to use to predict if or where another appearance would be._"

"_Why such urgency? There would be no benefit for you to find your way home if you are too ill to use it._"

"_I was thinking about something we talked about once_," he said excitedly. "_You wondered if I might actually be in love with Kim to always follow her into danger. To be so devoted. I think you might be right, but I have to see her to be sure. I've already spent a year here. What if she's given up on me or finds someone else. I'm nothing special there, and I can't risk wasting any more time._" The blond held a manic look before suddenly breaking down into tears. "_I have to see my parents and everyone else I love again. They don't even know if I'm alive. They have to suffer, and it's all my fault. I don't want to be alone anymore._"

Martis came around the table and took the young man into his arms. "_It will be alright, son. You will find your way. I know you will._"

After the blond man had regained his composure, the king helped him to his feet and walked him back to his home. When Ron was set down upon his bed, the emotional drain of his outburst and the long sleepless nights forced slumber upon him. The older man removed most of his clothing and tucked the youth under the covers. Before standing to leave, he looked once more at the gentle face with sadness. "_Whatever you were before, my son_," he whispered, "_you are beloved by the kingdom and loved by my family, and you are never alone. I hope your heart finds the peace it seeks._" Martis left, feeling the parental presence of the resident specters trying to provide what comfort they could to their ward.

---

Ron smiled at the little brunette riding in the carriage with her; seeing a loving smile helped to ease the pain from his breakdown a week before. Aryanna couldn't stop telling him how happy she was he was coming with her to see her brother, Baureen, who had recently had a son. "_Well, that's what big brothers are for_," he replied.

"_But did you have to wear armor and a sword_," the princess pouted.

"_Yeah, well, I promised I would make sure you stayed safe. So_," he said, rapping a knuckle against the breastplate, "_armor and sword. I get to be your own personal knight._"

"_How come you don't wear the rest like the other soldiers?_" she asked.

"_You remember when I showed you how I could crush a rock with a punch?_" the blond asked, waiting for her nod before continuing. "_The full armor won't allow the power to go through it, so it gets into the metal and the armor blows up like the rock. Fortunately, none of the others got hurt when it happened. So, the weapons instructors gave me my own personal tutor._"

"_It's not because you're slower than the others?_" the brunette inquired.

"_No, it's not because I'm slow_," he answered.

"_Because, it's okay if you are. I still love you_," she promised.

"_Oh, you do, do you?_" Ron said before wrapping his arms around her tickling her mercilessly.

When the carriage suddenly jolted to a stop, the young man tucked his body around the girl as they fell to take the brunt of the shock. Signaling for her to stay quiet, he let his awareness spread out while listening to the voices outside. Silently, he cursed to himself. A group of bandits outnumbered their unit almost two to one. And there was only one thing they could be after.

When the sounds of fighting started, Ron ordered the young girl to lock the doors as he stepped outside. Drawing his sword, the young blond waded into the fray. For what seemed like hours, they defended the carriage against the invaders, and all of them refused to lose while they could still draw breath. It wasn't until he heard a cry for help that he realized how far he'd gotten from the carriage. Time seemed to slow down for him as he watched one of the bandits breaking down the door and starting to drag its occupant out. A blue haze cut all vision except for that as he charged his way throw the battle. Without thought, Ron threw anything that got in his way. His sword forgotten, he dodged any attacks with preternatural awareness and grace. Even as fast as he knew he was moving, it seemed like he wouldn't make it in time.

Had he been more aware, Ron would have been proud of the girl. She was fighting back with everything she had learned from him. It was the only thing that gave the young man the time he needed. And when he did arrive, all it took was one backhand to the man's chest to send him flying and end his kidnapping attempt. The rest of the gang quickly broke off in fear. It wasn't until he had calmed down while comforting the crying girl that he realized why they were afraid. Looking back, he saw broken bodies lying in the wake of his passage. The man he had backhanded, the only one he even remembered hitting, was several yards away. Even from this distance, Ron could see how the breastplate he was wearing had caved in. A grim indication of what he'd done to the motionless man. Though, the blond could see he had not injured any of their soldiers; it did not ease his nausea.

Playing the big brother, he put Aryanna back into the carriage and helped the soldiers get them under way. This time, there were no more troubles as they completed the journey to Baureen's castle. On the return trip, the young lord sent extra men with them as a precaution; though it was an uneventful journey.

---

King Mulig briskly walked down the dimly lit passageways of the prison. He had been concerned when he had heard the news upon the return, but he had become more concerned when the kriger had not been with his daughter upon their return. Word finally came to him later that night from one of the prison guards that the youth had been seen heading for the lowest level, the cells that had wards to absorb all magic. The cells meant to imprison those that wished to misuse their arcane talents. The sandy-haired man didn't need any further directions as he followed the primal yells that accompanied the loud thumping that echoed through the halls. He feared the poor boy had finally lost his mind.

Banging on the door, he yelled to get the occupant's attention. "_Kriger, son. What is wrong?_"

The only response was another guttural scream filled with heart-wrenching pain and more pounding.

"Ronald," he tried again. "_Please, talk to me._" But it also failed. "_Boy, if you don't stop,"_ Martis yelled sternly, "_I will open this door myself._"

All noise from inside quieted, and the door slowly swung open. The king had to stifle a gasp when he saw the glowing blue eyes of the shadowy figure within. He had known the young man had picked up that technique from the castle sorcerers to improve his night vision, but it was still unsettling to see. "_What are you doing in here, son?_"

"_I'm losing control_," Ron growled. "_I nearly lost Aryanna, and I could have hurt our soldiers._"

"_But you didn't_," the older man tried to convince him. "_What you taught her helped to save her from that fate._"

"_I killed a man_," the young blond yelled, a blue aura erupting around him as he slammed a fist against the wall, showing him bare of all but pants. "_I killed a man and severely injured so many others_," he said more quietly. "_And I did it without realizing it. I'm a danger to everyone around me. One of the soldiers even said he saw something like an arm made out of my energy reach out and grab a man's sword. It shattered and sent shrapnel everywhere._"

"_And you think locking yourself away is going to solve things?_" the man asked, exasperated.

"_I don't know what else to do_," the boy whimpered. "_The answer isn't in any of the books in the castle library._"

"_No, not the answer you were looking for_," he sighed. "_There was a collection of traveler's tales. Some of them talk about lands to the east that sound similar to some of the stories of your home. Japan, you called it. There is no guarantee it will help, but you may wish to pilgrimage there._"

"_What about my duties to the kingdom?_"

"_You have never been indebted to us. You have always been free to seek your destiny outside these walls, but we have been happy you have stayed. Perhaps you should meditate on this decision as you have on days past. The kingdom will make due in your absence if we must._" Without waiting for a response, the king left the young man to his thoughts.

---

Ron looked dumbfounded at his listener. "Are you humming 'Go the Distance' from Hercules?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah," Shego replied. "Seemed appropriate. You starting out on a long journey, breaking things like the main character."

"Why can't I have found some other way?" he huffed. "Maybe I had an epiphany while meditating and figured it out on my own."

"Did you?" the raven-haired beauty asked.

"No," the blond groused. "But that's beside the point. I could have."

"Yeah, whatever," she retorted smugly.

"How come you make fun of that? Why didn't you make a crack that I found a girl here?" the blond asked.

"Someone has to want you" Shego stated. "Statistically speaking."

"Hardy har har," he laughed sarcastically. "I can't wait to hear what you hum when we hunt down that portal. Probably 'Wonderful Journey' from Anastasia."

"Like hell," the young woman exclaimed. "That one's about two lovers."

"Huh, I thought of it as more about friendships in general," he mused curiously. "You know, I used to sing 'Candle on the Water' to Aryanna and Katarin. I'd even light up the tip of my finger. They loved that."

"Who gives a shit?" she yelled. "Finish your story."

"Geez. Sorry," Ron said, trying to placate her. "I thought we were having a bonding moment. Anyways, I had a vision of a mountain rising out of a sea of trees while meditating. So, I prepared to head east..."

---

Ron donned his traveling cloak to hide the sword hanging from his belt. Checking his backpack one final time, he put his map into one of the side pockets. The young man had chosen to pack light, only some extra clothes and travel rations. He wasn't sure if a horse would be able to go everywhere he needed or if his money would be accepted where he was going. The blond slung the pack over a shoulder and stepped out the door to see the one person he had wanted to avoid out of shame.

Aryanna stood at the steps of the porch, nervously playing with her dress. "_Are you leaving, Big Brother?_"

"_Yeah_," he said sadly. "_For a little while. Not really sure when I'll be back._"

"_Is it because I've been bad?_" the brunette girl whimpered.

Ron was dumbfounded. "_Of course not, kid. There are some answer I need, but I can't find them here._"

Tears began streaming down her cheeks. "_I can be better_," she hiccuped. "_I'm sorry for being bad._"

He dropped his bag and rushed to collect the young girl in his arms to reassure her. It broke his heart to hear her wailed apologizes and cries for him not to leave. He wept wishing he could spare her the pain, but he knew he couldn't promise to stay.

When she had finally cried herself out, Ron cradled her in his arms. "_You're a very good girl_," the youth reassured her, "_and I wish I didn't have to go on this journey. But there are things that I need to learn so that I don't hurt you by accident. No matter what, I will return as fast as I can._"

"_You promise?_" the little girl asked.

"_I promise. As long as I have you to come back for, nothing can stop me_," he said seriously.

"_Okay. Since you promise_," she said, hugging him.

Ron smiled at her. "_Now, give me a kiss goodbye_," he ordered. She leaned up and kissed him on the lips. "_Now I owe you a kiss when I get back, Little Sister._"

She grinned up at him and hugged him tighter. They sat together in silence until the princess fell asleep, tired from the emotionally draining experience. Gingerly, the blond carried her inside and tucked her into the guest bed she used when she wanted to stay over. Taking one last moment, he took in her sleeping face and kissed her forehead. Back outside, he slung his pack over his shoulder again and set off on destiny's path.

A/N

Not much to say. I'm going to try to respond back to everyone that's reviewed. I've just been sick the last month or two. I'll be going back through the previous chapters to add short summaries of what's going on, and I've made chapter titles to help keep the events clear. Hopefully, it won't take me another month to put out the next chapter.


	8. Ron Arrives 5

Previously in Ttakepa: Ron is telling Shego about his time in this world before she arrived. He has found out everyone ages faster than himself, and he can't have children of his own here. After losing control of his powers during a failed kidnapping attack, he has decided to take a pilgrimage to a country he's only read about in the hopes of mastering his abilities.

Chapter 8

Ron grunted as he held the wooden frame upright. His blue aura flared wildly as he drew upon his power to augment his strength. Once the wall was secured to the rest of the house framework, the young man wiped the sweat from his brow and started the task of nailing the boards for the wall up. He remembered reading about barn raising in history class, but it was a whole different thing actually experiencing it.

---

Ron slumped against a tree, sliding against the trunk until he was sitting against it. Clutching the deep gash across his chest, the young blond labored to breathe as he tried to focus his eyes. He had heard some kind of screaming and came across a giant scorpion with horns all over itself. The teen had succeeded in killing it, but the creature had scored a good hit.

"I don't think I'm going to make it, Rufus," the youth said, looking towards the small creature that had ran up to him. The gray squirrel just cocked his head at him before chittering and running off with the nut it had found.

"That's it, buddy," he called weakly, "find help."

Ron wasn't sure how long he was there before a small pink creature fluttered in front of him, trailing sparkles. Squinting, he tried to focus on what it was saying. "Follow you to water?" he asked. "Ok, I've got your back."

Struggling to his feet, Ron stumbled after the tiny light. "I gotta know, am I stuck in Everlot again, Kim? 'Cause, you're a spritekin." Before he could get an answer, the youth tripped over an exposed root and fell short of the bubbling spring. Unable to get up again, the blond was able to remain conscious long enough to watch the little person bringing him water in her cupped hands.

The teen's body healed thanks to the magical properties of the water, but he would never know of the statue dedicated to the heroic giant, nor the songs elevating him to near sainthood.

---

Ron slowly inched his way towards the giant humanoid before him, his hands up in a calming motion. The youth had been asked to kill the ogre when word of his exploits reached the village. They had told him of all the atrocities the monster had done. Not able to turn his back on others in need, the blond promised to at least see what he could do. Now, he was trying to confront a creature with the strength of ten men and the intelligence level of a five-year-old. The youth hadn't really given it any attention, but he seemed to be learning lingual shifts as he moved from town to town.

"_Come on, now," _Ron said,_ "I know you just want to help. I'm sure that if you just talk with these people, they'll find things for you to do. But you can't throw wagons and hit their cows, buddy."_

The young man feared he'd said something wrong when the hairy creature's face scrunched up. Suddenly, tears started flowing down his face. "_No one ever call I friend," _he wailed. "_I so lonely."_

Ron barely had time to channel power through his body to withstand the crushing hug he found himself in. "_Glad to help. Can't breathe, man. Buddy in trouble! Buddy in trouble!"_

_--- _

The door of the village's doctor opened to reveal a dusty young man in threadbare cloak wrapped around him. Glassy-eyed, the youth stumbled toward the physician and opened his cloak to reveal an unconscious young girl cradled in his arms. When being presented to him, the older man took note that she was unblemished where the blond youth was covered in wounds that still seeped blood.

"_What happened?"_ the doctor asked.

The young man looked at him with confusion. A look of concentration overtook the blond's face as he worked his jaw in exaggerated movements that could only be described as like an animal trying to talk like a man. "_Bbbad...men. Fight. Help...gggirl,"_ he growled, trying to hand the girl over again.

The doctor took the child and gently placed her in a bed. It was an all too common occurrence in these areas. The traveler had probably come across some bandits attacking a family, and the girl was the only one he could save. When he had finished administering to the young child, he turned his attention back to the tall man that was still hovering nearby.

"_She's unharmed but in shock. Rest is what's required right now, and we will try to find any family she has later. Please remove your clothing; I need to see the extent of your injuries."_

The drifter looked down at himself as if just now realizing his state. With awkward movements, he had stripped down to his pants and boots when a commotion could be heard outside. Growling deep in his chest, the vagabond cursed under his breath and walked outside to face the bandits they had been escaping.

From his vantage point at the door, the doctor watched the bedraggled man stagger his way towards the ominous group. He couldn't hear what their leader said, but the stranger didn't respond. Instead, blue fire seemed to erupt around his body; and the young man leaped into the middle of the group, slamming his fists into the ground. The attack created a depression into the ground and threw the men back several feet. The blond took a hunched posture as he warily watched the mob return to their feet, teeth bared in a bestial snarl. The doctor marveled at how the youth dodged attacks with amazing acrobatic feats while dealing devastating strikes. Energy trailed from his hands and feet as the youth moved, creating a shifting cyclone of blue light. Primal growls punctuated the cries of pain between leaps and rolls. The blond only tried once to strike with some kind of tail before he realized he didn't have one. When the dust settled, the young man stood amongst the motionless bodies, shoulders heaving from the exertion.

The physician rushed out when the drifter suddenly collapsed face first. He had to laugh to himself when he found the young man snoring softly. By now others had come to help, though it wouldn't be how they had initially thought. Several men started collecting the dead; the others would be left to die out in the wilderness. The doctor accepted the assistance of one of the men to get the unconscious man back into the clinic to see to his wounds and allow him the rest he needed.

---

Ron rushed down the street; he had seen the column of black smoke on his way to the town and instincts kicked in. Arriving on the scene, the young hero assimilated the situation. Flames had engulfed the first floor and were licking out the windows; the fire had not reached the second floor yet. A line of people had formed to transport buckets of water in an attempt to combat the blaze. From the chatter he could make out that there was a child trapped upstairs, and they didn't think they would be able to get her out safely.

Dropping his pack, Ron ran towards the house. Drawing upon his energy, the blond ran up the side and stood on a window sill. Lifting the window, he started searching for the child. Unable to focus enough to sense her location, the youth scoured each room until he found her hiding under a bed. A part of his mind took note of her large gray eyes and long elf-like ears.

Convincing the young girl to come out was easy; he was like a guardian angel to her. Actually rescuing her would be the hard part. The flames had started to eat up into some of the rooms. Wrapping the child in his cloak, Ron clutched the bundle to his chest and stepped out into the main hallway. Patches of fire burned throughout the passageway, but it was still sturdy and had a large window at the end. Giving the girl a reassuring grin, the blond's stomping footsteps sent waves of energy that extinguished the flames in his path as he charged forward. Leaping at the window, the teen channeled his energy into a kick to explode the window away from him. He rolled to his feet when they landed and let the child run to her parents after he'd made sure she was still all right.

Picking up his pack, Ron smiled as he took one last look back. The house would be lost, but the family would still be able to have a home together. That was the important thing. Though, maybe if he had control of his power, he might have been able to find the girl faster and save the house as well.

---

Ron leaped off the cliff, rushing to secure his pack before he hit the water below. As he sank below the surface, the chains on his wrists and ankles dragged the youth deeper. Swimming along the river floor to further escape pursuit, the young man was running out of air when the chain on his ankles caught on something. Unable to tug free, he held the metal links in a hand and punched his free hand into the waiting palm. After a few tries to break the chain, Ron rose to the surface and made his way to the river bank. Taking a quick moment, the blond assumed a wide stance and let the power course through his body and into the restraints until they shattered explosively.

It would be a few days of hard running before he would believe himself safe from pursuit, though. The blond was just glad he hadn't had to hurt anyone this time. But nothing was going to keep him from returning as he had promised.

---

A large humanoid wolf shakily rose to her feet, bloody and broken as she was, but was unable to lift her arms up. Beside her lay the twisted bodies of her fellow guardians. The pack's young were whimpering and crying in the cave behind her, the opening forming a line she could not allow the group of horrors that were several yards away cross. Fear gripped her heart as she knew she could not hold them off long enough for the hunters to heed the distress howl. The she-wolf didn't even have the strength to lift her own spear from where it rested by her feet much less any of the other swords or spears of her fallen comrades.

The trolls looked even larger and more grotesque now that she was alone. The hungry eyes set in an ugly green visage gave her shivers that couldn't be completely explained by the quivering of her strained muscles. Her breathing labored, she was unable to keep her visions focused and kept expecting to see one of their clawed hands swinging at her.

Seemingly from out of thin air, a cloaked figure leaped over one of the monsters to slide into a crouched position beside her. With a flurry of motion, the mystery figure grabbed her spear and charged one of the center trolls. Blue energy trailed behind the man as he jumped at his target, driving the weapon into its chest. The warrior leaped back beside the she-wolf as the creature toppled backwards, holding the shattered remnants of the spear. Taking up another weapon, the man charged another troll. He rolled under the swiping talons and plunged the sword through its jaw. In similar fashion, the figure dispatched the remaining beasts. It took some time to dawn on her that the shattered weapons were due to the man exploding them inside the monsters and not from regular stress.

Once the battle was over, the man stood stained with blood but victorious. The she-wolf watched blankly as he went to each troll and used his sword to sever their heads, tossing them a good distance away. When he had completed that task, the warrior walked over to her. All she could do was to take in the brown eyes topped by unkempt blond hair that reflected the big smile he was giving her. The blond gently helped her to the ground and set his pack next to her. He took a canteen of water and some clean strips of cloth out to administer her wounds.

The she-wolf came in and out of consciousness several times, sometimes finding the man checking on her or comforting her by stroking her mane. Sometimes, she would see him playing with the cubs amongst the corpses of the battlefield. But she knew she could rest easy. The pack warriors would return within a few hours, and they would be protected by this fur-less creature in the mean time.

---

Ron stood stoically in the center of the cleared floor in only some loose pants. To get the ticket for a boat to his final destination, he had to fight in this tournament. Gauntlet would probably be a better term since the tournament tree would look more like half of a menorah with him being the main line.

His first opponent had fallen to Crafty Monkey's coward act. Unfortunately, all the fighters had seen it, so he couldn't rely on it again. Fortunately, there were six other styles of monkey kung fu they hadn't seen. This was the last match; he had to face two of the best fighters to win. He couldn't afford to let this fight draw out. When the punch came, the blond dodged with a back handspring that caught under his attacker's arms with his legs. Completing the flip, Ron threw the man into his partner and knocked them both out.

Without losing the hard look in his eyes, the young man collected his belongings and made his way to the ship. The onlookers gave him a wide berth the entire way.

---

Ron perched invisibly within the foliage of the tree, debating with himself what his best course of action should be. The island nation of Yayoi wasn't what he had quite expected. The village he had arrived at had spoken the same dialect as the mainland, but there wasn't a lot of information they could give him. Out of curiosity, he had even asked around about Yamanouchi; no one even recognized the name.

The blond had been traveling inland for days and had seen signs that even the most observant would miss. There was no mistaking it; he was in ninja country. Or, more precisely, shinobi country. There were the standard warnings of mischievous spirits, but the one thing everyone would only whisper about were the shinobi. They were said to be living shadows with a number of glowing red eyes. These were the demons among demons that snatched naughty children from their beds and slaughtered unscrupulous men. Some even said that they could slice a man's head off so fast, the man could lift his own head from his shoulders before realizing he was dead. Ron recognized the tales as similar to the ones of ninja back home, and he would have believed it was the same here before. Now he had seen so many amazing things, it wouldn't surprise him if they were born from a solar eclipse.

Mulling over his options, Ron let his power flow through him and tried to let it tell him everything it could. The youth nearly fell out of the tree and lose focus on his stealth skills when he felt two shinobi land on a branch on the other side of the tree. They looked just like they had been described. It was like light was not able to touch them, and both had two sets of glowing red eyes.

"_I have news from the master. We are to be on the lookout for an outsider with hair like mimoza flowers and follow him,_" one said.

"_What makes this one special?"_

_"He possesses great power, and the elders fear his intentions. Most worrisome are the reports coming in from the mainland, he uses his power for his own purposes."_

_"Where was he last seen? We can start the search there."_

_"The western shores traveling in this direction."_

Both remained quiet for a few moments. _"I do not sense anything. Perhaps he is not in the area yet. I will head north; you head south. We should use an expanding circular pattern."_

_"The contact post to the east has been designated for this mission."_

Ron could feel the other shinobi nod before leaped away. The blond breathed a sigh of relief in how lucky he had been they hadn't landed right next to him. It was odd that they couldn't sense him, but it didn't sound like they were trying to hurt him. The weirdest thing was also what gave him the most hope; they had been speaking in modern Japanese. It was almost like being home again. Now, Ron had to figure out if it was more honorable to sneak around the shinobi territory or make his presence known.

---

Ron was beginning to doubt the wisdom of showing himself at the report station the two shinobi had mentioned. Maybe he shouldn't have appeared out of thin air and surprised the guard. Now he was sitting bound hand and foot inside a pit with a latticework of bamboo over the hole. But the blond wasn't too concerned. There wasn't anything that had been done that he couldn't still escape; this must be how Kim feels.

It wasn't long before four men came to bring him out of the hole. Attaching a collar with four long poles connected to it, they removed the bonds from his feet and escorted him into a nearby wooden building. Inside sat an old man in a simple black kimono, drinking tea. Once he was places across from the man, the guards removed the collar and stepped outside.

Ron bowed to the man as best he could with his hands still bound behind him. "_Thank you for having me in your home. I am Kri...Stoppable Ron."_

The man returned the bow. "_It is always a pleasure to host a guest. Forgive me that I cannot name myself as of yet; there are still some matters to be discussed first." _He poured some tea and presented it to the young man, "_Please, would you share tea with me this day?"_

The blond accepted the cup with a small bow of his head, having already escaped his bounds. "_Thank you, sir. You are too kind."_

_"Word has reached me that you are on a search. I am curious about this," _the man said.

_"Uh, yeah. I am looking for a place where I may receive training for the powers I have. I am having problems controlling them. They have a mystical nature and came from a land like this where I am from. I had hoped that I would find the training I sought in a place like it," _the youth answered.

_"Why do you seek this training?"_

"_I fear that I will hurt those I care for if I lose control. And I fear I will not have the strength to help them that I might have otherwise."_

_"And you inquire about Yamanouchi?"_

_"Yes, if any has heard the name. It comes from the training school in my world."_

_"You have found him; I am Yamanouchi Toshiro, master of the shinobi."_

_"Um, it was the name of the school; it was built on Mount Yamanouchi."_

The man rubbed the back of his neck and looked away in embarrassment. "_Hmm, this is awkward. Our information suggested you were looking for me. I apologize for this."_

Ron shared a bow with the leader. "_It's no problem; these things happen."_

_"Thank you," _the older man smiled. "_We will be able to begin your training in a few days. You may take this time to rest from your long journey. Were you able to exercise your skills while you traveled?"_

_"Yes, master. I had many opportunities to use my techniques in unanticipated ways these last six months. I have learned much on this path, and it is my honor to have taken this pilgrimage." _The blond paused for a moment before bursting out in laughter.

The man frowned in confusion. "_I do not understand what humor you find in this."_

_"I apologize," _Ron said, wiping away a tear._ "There was a young woman that always said it would be my honor to do various tasks I did not particularly desire doing. At the time, I did not understand why she kept saying it. I do now. By undertaking these arduous tasks, I have made myself stronger."_

_"I see. I am glad our meeting has provided an insight for you. Though they be great or small, each one is a treasure within itself. To better understand oneself helps to better understand the world. If you have no further questions, one of my assistants will show you to your quarters during your visit with us."_

With a bow, Ron rose and walked outside.

For several months, the teen practiced diligently to master his abilities. He was able to further hone skills he already possessed and learned more about the nature of the mystical powers. The young man found that he had been viewing the energy as something outside of himself instead of as a part of him. It was also discovered that his mystical energies would be sensed as part of nature unless one looked very closely. This facilitated him in his stealth training.

Ron also learned about the abilities of the shinobi and their philosophies. All shinobi could take a human form much like the leader had taken when they met. Like the ninja from his world, this allowed them to blend in with the populace to complete missions. By the time he was done, the young man had grown broader in the shoulders and more confident. He may have even secured the kingdom a new trade partner; they would be sending an emissary once their empire decided on a negotiation stance.

---

What took the young man almost half a year to traverse before took little less than a month now that he had more of a straight line to follow. He passed through some of the towns he had before, and they all welcomed him with open arms and many with extravagant pomp and circumstance. For some reason, it felt hollow for him. This was something the youth has always desired when he was with Kim. She always made him feel like he was a valuable part of the team, so it never ate away at him. Now he was the one receiving all the adorations, but Kim wasn't there to share it with him.

As Ron approached the town gate, he was brought short by the guard addressing him by his new name. He quickly recognized the young man as one of the soldiers he had trained with, and a big grin stretched his face. They talked for a few minutes about the local gossip and the usual boasting of weaponry skills.

With a parting wave, he continued on towards the castle. On the way, he returned greetings from various townsfolk or stopped to chat a little. Even ran a few quick errands. It was like he had never left.

"_Ah, Kriger. Back to take one of my girls as your wife?"_ a baker jested.

Ron smiled. "_I wish I could, but they are all too good for me."_

_"Too true,"_ the middle-aged man chuckled, "_but they could do worse than a good man like you."_

The youth laughed with the man as he continued on. He greeted the soldiers at the castle entrance and followed the path to his house. It was good to be back, but it was still a long and difficult journey. As he stepped up onto the porch, he sensed a presence approaching him. Ron was able to turn just in time to catch a petite young woman jumping him for a hug. The brunette was talking too fast for him to understand a word, and he couldn't quite recognize where he had seen this blossoming maiden. He froze in shock when she said she'd forgotten something and gave him a quick peck on the lips before going back to hugging tightly and talking endlessly while crying joyfully. Slowly, the gears in his head started turning. A girl with light brown hair, gray eyes, and looked to be about twelve to him. With the way everyone aged here, she would have looked about nine or ten when he left. Ron tightly hugged the girl hanging from his frame. "_You've grown so beautiful, Little Sister."_

_"You mean I was ugly before?" _the princess pouted.

The blond grinned. "_Yeah, but I loved you anyways."_

_"I missed you, Big Brother," _she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"_I did, too. But I learned what I needed, and I'm back as promised."_

_"Oh," _Aryanna exclaimed, dropping down and grabbing his hand. "_Father will want to see you and hear about your trip."_

Ron chuckled as he allowed himself to be dragged by the girl. "_Yeah, I should have a few more good stories. Like, I helped this elf girl with eyes like yours. She wasn't as pretty, mind you..."_

_--- _

"After that, it's been the usual stuff," Ron said, taking a sip from his cup. "I continued my study of magic as a science and started up the specialized army. I became captain of the guard and eventually handpicked soldiers to enter into the program. I even fulfilled my promise to myself. The young man that was guarding your cell was the shepherd boy that found me; turns out the skills needed to watch sheep are good leadership skills as well. The king sends a few jobs to the boy's father, the tailor. Aside from that, I've been working on peace treaties with as many kingdoms and empires as possible."

The brunette laughed. "Even in a different world, you're still a goody-good trying for world peace."

The blond chuckled. "Yeah. What can I say? It's a hard habit to break."

Shego yawned. "Not that listening to your long winded story wasn't fun, but I'm beat. Where's my bed?"

He smiled. "Up the stairs and on the left."

The young woman stretched. "It's a shame your communication thing was lost. We might have been able to figure something out to charge it up and get out of here," she said. Shrugging, she walked off to get some rest.

Ron watched the pale woman leave and waited a few minutes before standing up himself and heading to his office. Once he was sitting at his desk, the young man opened a draw and withdrew a device that was still recognizable though it had been heavily modified. Placing a thumb to each of the leads on the bottom, he channeled energy into it. As the unit powered up, he verified that the device was still fully charged and sending out a passive distress signal.

Sliding through the menus, Ron brought up an old video file and smiled as it started up. "This is badical, Kim," he mouthed as his squeaky voice spoke off camera. The view moved to a young redhead with frizzy hair still in her pajamas. "I can't believe you got Wade to make me a Kimmunicator."

The young girl smiled. "It's no big. I'm just sorry we didn't get you one sooner. But can we call yours something else? Just sounds weird."

"How about an iRon?" the boy suggested.

"How about trademarked?" she replied, shooting him down. "Wade wanted to call it the Ronnunicator."

"That sounds good," he conceded. "Man, this thing has so many cool features. Phone, internet, data organizer, video camera."

"Yeah...are you filming me?! I look a mess!" the girl exclaimed.

"Um..." the unseen youth faltered."

Leaping from the bed, the girl tackled at the recording device. As the camera kept displaying the ceiling, loud rustling and girlish giggling could be heard nearby. Finally, the giggling was broken up as the boy screamed for mercy from the tickle attack.

"That'll teach you to film a girl when she hasn't had a chance to make herself presentable," she scolded.

"Eh, you always look good. Thanks for the gift, KP."

"It's the least I can do. You've always been there for me, and I can't imagine what I'd do without you," she said as she picked up the device. Giving a grin and a wave to the camera, the video stopped on that image.

Staring at the smiling image for several minutes, Ron ran a finger along the contours of the face. "I'll have your back again soon, KP," the blond reassured the picture. His eyes moved up to where Shego was currently sleeping. "No matter what I have to do to get back to you, nothing will stand in my way."

A/N

And another chapter down. It's about twice as long as I usually do and seems to have taken about twice as long to write. I considered breaking it into two parts, but it wouldn't have the right flow. But this ends the flashbacks. I prefer to let the audience infer the subtleties, but I feel I need to point out that the flashback arc is all from Ron. It's been such a long span of time, I'm not sure it'll come across right. Hope you've enjoyed.


	9. Day in the Market

Previously on Ttakepa: Ron has finished telling Shego about the time from when he arrived until they reunited.

Chapter 9

The raven-haired woman woke early to the delicious smell of coffee in the air. Stretching as she rose from bed, she noticed some clothes laid out across the foot of the bed. Curious, Shego examined them. Both cotton garments, the black pants had a wide sash sewn in for a belt; and the thick dark green shirt almost looked like it was tailored for her. Looking around suspiciously, she stepped into the closet to change.

Once done, she examined herself in the vanity mirror. Turning about, the young woman smiled at how well the clothes hung from her body. Fixing her hair, she went downstairs and poured a cup of the coffee simmering on the stove. With beverage in hand, Shego went out to the porch to enjoy some fresh air. There she found her host, wearing only a pair of shorts and some strange harness, with glowing jewels set in it, as he exercised in the courtyard. The blond's body glistened from the sweat, and his hair was pulled back in a damp ponytail.

Seating herself on the outdoor sofa, she watched the young man jump and roll around as he struck the empty air. The pale woman slowly sipped from her mug as she examined the man's technique as he progressed through the different aspects of his style, his movements and stances. Shego was no stranger to fighting styles having had to go up against many different people as both a hero and a villain. The man in front of her had a powerful physique like her brother, but the blond made Hego look like a lumbering elephant in comparison.

The scars on his body told her a different part of the story. This was a man that fought to survive, not to simply win. The young woman could see the pale marks lined on various parts of him, with several clustered on his chest along with a thick, ugly scar; but none of them looked new. If anything, they gave him character. Shego was reminded of many of they guys she'd dated. Sure, they had been muscular; but they didn't exude pure strength like this. His was the kind of body that epitomized the bad boy. The way his sweat dripped down muscles that flexed like an animal; he practically radiated with suppressed ferocity.

The pale beauty was broken from her reverie by the grinning man swaggering towards her. Hiding her small smile with another sip from her cup, she quickly took the initiative to burst his bubble. "I can't decide if it's funnier that you look like you have a fry guy for a head or that you're only missing nipple rings to complete the bondage look."

"Bondage freak fry guys," Ron mused. "Kinda like how Grimace used to steal milkshakes."

"Isn't that just the funniest thing, too," Shego laughed before physically stopping herself. "Forget that. What's with the gear, gimp?"

"Something the sorcery academy cooked up," the blond started lecturing. "Anybody that uses magic has to manipulate the energies within their body and projecting that part of themselves out to cause any effect. This device places jewels over the chest, hands, and feet to create a barrier that turns that energy back on itself to create a natural resistance to negate it. The jewels glow brightest when the user's power output is maxing its ability to handle the energy. The cool thing is that the harness organically strengthens over time as I use it, so I can go all out without worrying I'll break it. You wanna give it a try?"

"I'm not stripping for you, Stoppable," the raven-haired woman frowned.

"You can wear what you've got. I train like this for personal reasons. Come on, I'll switch the stones to a smaller harness for you."

Shego sighed in resignation. "Fine, I guess I can blow off some frustration."

The blond grinned as he knelt before a box by the porch steps. After unbuckling himself, Ron popped the jewels from his harness and inserted them into a smaller spare. Making sure she wasn't looking, the young man switched out the chest control stone for a new one. Its strength was synced with his usual stone, but this one hadn't recorded any user data yet.

"Here you go," he said, handing her the device. "I'm gonna go shower, so just put it in my office when your done. I'll clean it up later."

As Shego donned the apparatus, the young man took the carrying case inside with him. He watched from the window long enough to confirm that the woman tried maxing her power out to compare against him. After several attempts, she had only made the jewels glow dimly.

---

The pale woman sat at the dining table, a sour expression on her face. Intellectually, she realized her host was at least as strong as she was when he had stopped her flaming fist. That didn't stop her from being pissed that the blond was so much above her in power that she was like a spark to a candle flame. The raven-haired beauty's only consolation was that he had promised she would get training so that he could get home. Though, it did worry her some that Stoppable was expecting to go up against something that he couldn't fight his way past.

Shego was brought from her thoughts by the subject of her musings walking into the room. He was wearing leather pants and a thick long-sleeved shirt. The young woman also noticed that the boots he was wearing had a set of plates that were secured by straps that went under the instep of the shoe and around the calf. "You ready to head out?" the man asked.

The brunette cocked a brow. "For what? You want me to watch you get a haircut and shave?"

Ron ran a hand through his beard. "Aryanna and Katarin always seemed to like it like this. But, no, I promised you we'd go shopping today. Everything you need to feel comfortable."

"Oh, right," she replied. "Yeah, I'm good."

The blond nodded. "OK, let me finished getting dressed." Walking over to a closet, the young man pulled out a coat of chainmail. Donning it, he pulled a large shirt over it. Next came thick leather gauntlets with metal rivets along the knuckles. After strapping on his sword belt, Ron put on his cloak and smiled. "OK, let's get going."

Green eyes stared in unbelieving speculation. "I know most guys hate shopping, but they don't mean killer sales literally."

Ron laughed sarcastically. "I know that. I'm still a peacekeeper, and I have to be prepared." The blond looked away and muttered, "And those kids fight dirty."

"Ah, poor Stoppable is getting bullied for his lunch money by the neighborhood kids?" she teased.

"They just like to have fun and wrestle me...in the middle of the street...using sticks and stones." He crossed his arms in a huff. "Well, there are still criminals that could have come into town; and it's my job to protect the kingdom.

"Right," the woman sighed, "because you haven't trained an entire army to be your own personal Special Forces. At least you aren't going overboard and hiding armor in those pants." The look on her companion's face told her everything. Leaning over, she rapped on the hard plate sewn into the thigh of his pants. Groaning, Shego just made her way to the front door.

"What?" the young man called after her. "You try running after some kid that punched you in the leg. That can hurt."

The villainess ignored his various excuses about hiding armor under his clothes as they walked towards the castle gate while Ron secured a wrapped package to his belt. As they approached, the two guards on duty snapped to attention, and a grinning little redhead ran up to them to take each of their hands. The petite princess wore a pale blue sundress and a floppy hat. When the group got to the guard station, Ron briefly admonished the soldiers. As they left, the little girl called back at them as if saying goodbye. "What did they do wrong?" Shego asked curiously.

"They're not supposed to let Katarin stay there and distract them," he answered before grinning. "Even in this world, girls like to shop. She went there because she could get someone to escort her into town if she'd missed us."

"They seemed pretty alert; probably more so since she was there. I doubt I'd have been able to get past them unnoticed," she stated.

"I know," Ron smiled. "But I can't let the little stuff slide, or the big stuff will go with it."

The group worked their way through the marketplace with Katarin excitedly pulling the older woman to various interesting merchants. Ron refused to let them buy much from the street vendors; he wanted to buy quality clothes from the established stores. Though, with two ladies begging him for purchases, it wasn't long before he was carrying numerous bags. Shego felt no shame in mooching from her host since the little girl beside her wasn't shy about it. The young woman allowed a small smile to encroach her face as she was dragged about by the exuberant child.

It was when they went down a side street to get to a leather merchant that she felt the shift in the blond's personality. Like a sudden storm filling the sky, Ron went from laughing and smiling to cold and dark. He told them to stay there and left the packages with her. As soon as he rounded the corner, the two ladies moved up to peek from behind the wall; Katarin clinging to the brunette's leg. They could see a towering minotaur, a bull-headed man covered in fur and wearing a breastplate and loincloth, accosting an elderly man. Ron approached the pair and talked to the behemoth in a jovial manner. Shego was surprised to see the fear and wariness from the larger creature.

The minotaur slowly backed away a few steps, so Ron turned his back on him to hand the package he had brought with him to the elderly man. They conducted their business quickly, and the merchant went inside. Meanwhile, the beast-man grew angrier with each passing moment at the indignity of being intimidated by the smaller man. As the young man prepared to leave, the large creature rushed forward to attack. Shego barely had time to open her mouth in warning before her comrade struck with a light backhand to his attacker's chest. She could have sworn she saw a blue spark at the contact, and she was stunned to see the armor had formed a spiderweb of cracks instead of a dent. A shard of metal even fell out. After recovering from the shock of the attack, the minotaur hastily retreated.

Shego didn't know what to think and didn't notice the blond had returned until he had picked up all their packages in one arm and was looking in confusion at the little redhead chastising him. "Come on, I'm sorry I had to leave you two alone; but I had to do my job."

"You're right, it's not something a gentleman nor a big brother does," he replied to whatever the child had said.

Ron knelt down and kissed the girl on the cheek. "I apologize and won't let it happen again."

The princess pointed at the older woman, and Shego knew it was about her when she was called Chloe. The blond glanced at her before the two started arguing in their strange language. Eventually, the young man stood up and sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck with a free hand. "She said I have to apologize for leaving my two ladies alone to go off and play."

"Fine," Shego said, "apology accepted."

"Yeah," the blond drawled, "Katarin wouldn't agree to that. And I told her you'd wouldn't go for the apology she wants."

The pale woman's eyes narrowed. "Like hell I'd agree. I wouldn't even let you kiss my ass."

"See, that's what I said but not in those words...Oh, my god! It's a distraction!" he yelled pointing just over Shego's shoulder at the wall behind her. As soon as she turned to look, Ron gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and ran. It took a few seconds for her thoughts to catch up, and she started chasing after her companion who was already halfway down the street with Katarin on his back. The little girl laughed gleefully the entire time.

---

Shego finally caught up to them eating at a table outside a restaurant. Seating herself, she saw they had already ordered her food. Though she had lost most of her anger by this time, she still planned on making Ron pay for what he did. Once they finished eating, they went from shop to shop to work on her wardrobe. The only interesting moment was when a well known seamstress became inspired upon seeing the villainess, or so Ron told her; and took her measurements by groping just about every inch of her body. It had been hard to concentrate on what he was saying when he was restraining her in a full nelson to keep her from attacking the old woman. She had gotten the gist of it, but it was hard to care that someone makes gowns for royalty when that same person has more hands on you than a horny prom date.

The brunette had laden down her host with all the clothes that caught her eye as part of her retribution so far. When they arrived at an undergarments store, he refused to go in and used the load of packages as an excuse. Scoffing at him, the two ladies went in with Katarin following her as she browsed. Shego was pleasantly surprised to find everything was familiar. They weren't name brand, but they were familiar styles. Once she found an underwear and bra set that fit, she left them on and looked for more in her size.

The dark haired woman was looking at some risque lingerie when she got a mischievous thought. "What do you think Stoppable will find sexy on me?" she asked her tiny companion, not really expecting an answer.

The young girl rushed off and came back with a light beige thong that was just an inch away from being pointless. Shego took the item from the girl and thanked her, asking her to find some others that were similar without being so revealing. Though it was unnerving to realize the kid had been able to understand everything she said, it still made her smile a little to see how excited the girl was to be helping the young woman.

Once they were done, the new packages were added to Ron's load; and they finished the day browsing. Katarin grew tired as the day wore on and demanded to be carried by Shego. Unable to find an alternate since the blond man was carrying all their stuff, she held the young girl in her arms. It wasn't too long before the child was sleeping with her arms around the brunette's neck.

When they returned to Ron's home, he lead her to a room after setting down the packages and shook her awake to tell her it was time for bed. Groggily, the girl mumbled something and kissed Shego on the cheek before allowing herself to be carried by the blond to the bed. The villainess watched from the door as the man before her redressed the toddler in a nightshirt and tucked her in. Smiling, he lead the young woman to the kitchen.

"We'll get everything put into your closet tomorrow," he told her while preparing some tea.

Shego remained quiet for a few minutes. "Is she that friendly with everyone?" she finally asked, accepting a cup.

"No," Ron replied, "just the people she knows."

"So, what makes me so special?"

"Well," the blond started, "I never could tell the girls bedtime stories like we had because fairy tales are more or less real here. So, I told them about the missions. Katarin would always ask me why you were so angry all the time; her favorites were about the 'beautiful lady that threw fire' she said. And she likes to hear them in English; it's why she can understand but not speak it."

Shego paled slightly. "You've told her about me?"

Ron nodded. "She would always ask why you were so angry, but I didn't have an answer. And then I told her about the time we met your brothers. She decided that it was because you didn't have a nice big brother like she did. When she heard you were here, too, she resolved to be the best little sister she could be so you wouldn't be angry anymore."

"And she's not frightened by my past?" she asked.

"Nope, kids are pretty intuitive; so, I guess there's something she sees there," Ron replied. "Or she's banking on my protectiveness. Though, she did beat me up because she thinks I understated how pretty you are." The young man finished his tea. "Well, good night. Get plenty of rest while you can. You start weapons training with me in a few days, and then you'll be training with an associate of mine on your powers as well starting in about a week."

Shego was left with her thoughts as she finished her drink. She wasn't sure what kind of crazy family life she had found herself in, nor how over her head she was with the promises she'd made; but the young woman would be damned if she didn't succeed at training that Stoppable had endured.

A/N

I can't believe it's taken me this long to write again. Just been a lot of stuff going on that's prevented me from writing often enough. Well, it does give me time to come up with good stuff like I have. Several funny parts this time, and I still laugh at them. I went back and updated all the chapters to include the scene breaks like I had originally intended. They should appear as three hyphens. I'm not sure why it keeps removing all the asterisks I was using. The three hyphens aren't even what are in my original documents; they are supposed to be four asterisks with hyphens separating them. It's really odd. Hopefully, the next chapter won't be so long in coming. Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	10. Training Begins

Previously on Ttakepa: Ron, Shego, and Katarin spend a day shopping. Shego gets an idea of how strong Ron is and that Katarin is trying to be her little sister.

Chapter 10

Shego came down the stairs to a breakfast of eggs, bacon, and biscuits. At least, that's what it looked like. "Eat up," her host told her. "I figured we'd start with the broadsword."

The young woman sat down at the table. "Whatever." She looked over the plates of armor strapped across his body, leaving only his upper arms and head unprotected. "So, what am I going to be wearing?"

"Glad you asked," the blond smiled, as he walked out of the room. When he returned, the young man held up three sets of her old outfit. "I had these made for you to train in. There were some modifications to improve the material and whatnot, but I think he did a good job what with only having the shreds of your old uniform."

Her eyes ran across the clothes. "Where'd my pouch go?" Shego asked.

"It wasn't damaged, so he made it securable to the thigh," the young man answered. "It can be switched to whichever one you wear."

The raven-haired beauty noticed him trying to peek into the pouch. "I keep feminine products in it," she lied.

"I was just making sure the zipper worked," he exclaimed.

"Right," she replied skeptically, rolling her eyes. "Not to change the subject, or that I really care; but where's the kid?"

"Oh, I kicked her out before you got up," Ron told her. "She should be having breakfast with her folks right now."

"And they won't be concerned about where she was last night?" she inquired.

"Nah, they knew she was here," he said, waving off her concern.

"How did you tell them?" Shego asked, confused.  
"I have spies all over the place; they relayed the message," Ron replied offhandedly as he walked out.

The brunette went cold; she hadn't noticed anyone was watching at all. The young woman has lost her appetite, but she forced herself to eat so she would have energy for the training waiting for her. She needed to be ready for anything.

---

Shego wore her long hair in a braid as she practiced her strikes and parries beside her host, focused on not tripping over her scabbard. After a week of day long training, she was able to get through the sessions without nearly hitting him with her dull practice sword. As often. He had replied that she wasn't who he was afraid of getting hit when she had asked why she didn't have to wear armor as well. The young woman had been confused until the reason became painfully clear. Ron would use his sword to block some of her errant swings from connecting with his head and torso. And in a few cases, her leg and the top of her head.

Ron called a halt to their training and walked towards an elderly man that had arrived. The way his kung fu style uniform fit, she could tell the man had an impressive physique for his age, and he wore his hair as long as his beard. They each bowed to one another and walked back to where the raven-haired woman was standing with sword resting on her shoulder. "Shego, this is Ryujin-sennin, the Dragon God Hermit. He will be helping you to improve and strengthen your powers."

The old man bowed to the young woman. "A pleasure to meet you, Shego-dono," he greeted in a strong accent. "If you have half as much potential as beauty, then Stoppable-sennin has been most humble with his words."

The brunette sheathed her sword and bowed back, "I bet you say that to all the girls."

The older man smiled. "I have been saving that one for the most beautiful woman in all the lands. Now that I have traveled them all, I have finally found that woman before me."

"Well, aren't you just the smooth talker," she giggled.

"Right, moving on," Ron interrupted. "Did you want to start today or tomorrow?"

The hermit looked around the area. "This will do for today. Your academy was most helpful in finding a suitable location for my purposes. Please thank them."

"Ok," the blond said. "You guys have a good session; I've got some paperwork that doesn't have my name on it yet."

As Ron left, the old man lead the pale woman to a shaded area. "I will be training you in the lessons of my clan as well as some of the techniques Stoppable-sennin brought with him to our lands.""Look, I've had these powers for about ten years," the young woman said, following the man. "What can there possibly be left for me to learn?"

He helped her to take a seat. "What could there be that you have not learned in ten years that my clan has not known for hundreds," the hermit pondered. "In your training, I would begin with the basics; and your progress depends on how fast you learn. But I will show you some of what you will be taught."

Shego watched as the man formed flames on the tips of his fingers before extinguishing and reigniting them one after the other. Fire erupted from each of his hands to create rods that he began to swing about in twin swords techniques. After doing this for a few moments, he closed his fists to snuff out the weapons and opened them to reveal orbs of fire that he started to juggle.

"Ok, now you're just showing off," the woman smirked.

Ryujin laughed, sitting down. "Another time I will show you why I am called the Dragon God. It is...badical...as Stoppable-sennin would say."

"You keep calling him sennin. And he called you that, too," Shego said curiously.

"Correct," he answered. "It is hermit. His power is not like that of others, and he is a wanderer that may travel the roads as he wishes."

The brunette smiled sweetly. "You've known him a long time, right? I mean, you had to have learned English from him."

"Yes," the hermit replied. "For many years. Learning his language was fortunate for secret talks during some of our journeys together."

"So, how strong would you say he is?" she inquired.

The old man scratched his beard in thought. "Stoppable-sennin is said to be one of the strongest in the land, but none truly know what he can do. Though it is his mind, as well as his power, that make him a formidable warrior. He has many hidden secrets and shrouds his heart, even from those he cares for."

"Huh. Well, OK then," she thanked him, somewhat disappointed.

"Let us begin the first lesson," Ryujin began. "Meditation is the most important skill, for the body and energy must be one to gain strength. Close your eyes and focus on energy flowing within. Follow it as it flows through you."

It took Shego a while, but she was able to get a vague sense. More like imagining a brook when you can only hear it; you don't know much about it, but you get an idea from what you can hear. The sensation was a different feeling than what she had become familiar with, but it was exciting to be finding new things about what she could do.

---

Shego tiredly trudged up to the house she currently called home. The young woman had never realized how draining it was to meditate like that; she guessed she must have been doing it wrong before. As the woman walked up, she saw Katarin jump up from sitting on the porch and run up to greet her with a big smile. Returning the greeting with a tired smile of her own and rubbed the top of the girl's head as she opened the door.

Entering the house, she found it deserted except for a note on the table. "Had to step out," she mumbled as she read, "started the bath for you. Hit the left button to start the whirlpool and clean water will cycle." The pale woman looked down at the princess. "Smart man, he knows how to take care of a lady. Try to find a nice guy that makes you feel special like that, kiddo. Now, if you don't mind, there's a hot bath with my name on it."

Shego dropped off her sword and training uniform in Ron's office before heading half naked to her room to get a change of clothes. When she entered the bathroom, she found the young redhead in the process of disrobing. "Oh, I don't think so," the brunette frowned. "Where I come from, we take baths alone and definitely not with someone else's kid."

The little girl looked at the woman blankly before slowly continuing to remove her clothes. "Don't act like you don't know what I'm saying," the older woman admonished while pointing a finger. "I know you can understand everything I say. You can wait until I'm done to take your own bath."

Katarin's face scrunched up as she tried not to cry. Reluctantly, she took her time dressing again. The villainess rolled her eyes. "I must be tired if I'm being this soft," she sighed. "Fine, you can take a bath with me, but I'm tossing you out if you get annoying. And I mean that literally."

The princess giggled happily as she quickly stripped. Shego helped the little girl into the waiting tub, and each began the task of bathing. Grudgingly, the older woman helped wash the redhead's hair and made sure she scrubbed her face and clean her fingers and toes. She even let herself be mollified by kisses on the cheek. Once the pale beauty was satisfied with their cleanliness, she pressed the button to start the whirlpool and watched as all the dirty water was removed and new hot water jetted out to replace it. As the water struck her body, all her aches and pains slipped away. Relaxing, she allowed Katarin to start combing her hair. She didn't even mind that girl was prattling on; it was still less annoying than Drakken droning on about his latest invention or plan.

---

When the two girls had dried off and changed to clean clothes, they walked back to the living room and found the home's owner snoring in a chair. Grinning mischievously, Shego squatted down beside the young girl. "Wanna play a trick on your big brother?" she whispered.

Receiving an enthusiastic head nodding, the villainess whispered her plan into the princess' ear. When the girl giggled her understanding, the two descended upon their slumbering target.

---

Shego lounged on the patio couch, reading one of the books from Ron's collection. The young man had spent a great amount of time translating the fiction works from the palace library. Sitting on the floor beside the end of the couch was her younger companion, combing and braiding the brunette's hair. Both looked up as the large form of their host filled the doorway. He pointed at how his mustache and beard had been braided together. "I think something happened," he mumbled. "Did you do this, Katarin?"

The two girls burst into fits of giggling. "She was with me the entire time," Shego defended her accomplice.

Ron glared at her, letting the young woman know he saw right through that line. "You think you're so cute," he said, pointing at the little redhead, "but you're not." Turning around, the blond looked for a mirror so that he could untangle his facial hair. He could still hear the two girls laughing outside. He was glad the two were getting along, even if it meant a few pranks being played on him. The young man knew how much it meant to Katarin, and he couldn't bear to disappoint the girl. And it didn't hurt that Shego was creating emotional attachments; it could be something useful later.

A/N

Another chapter done. I appreciate the reviews I received from the last chapter. Not much to say. I was going to continue this chapter to a different point, but that would make it two or three times as long. And this was a pretty good stopping point. Well, you've read; time to review. Having some internet problems, so it might be a while before I can receive reviews and respond. But they will be greatly appreciated.


	11. Four Months Later

Previously in Ttakepa: Shego has started her training in swords under Ron and sorcery under Ryujin-sennin. She is also starting to bond with Katarin.

Chapter 11

The fatigued brunette extinguished the orbs of jade fire she had been holding in each of her hands as she neared the house. For the last four months, Shego had been required to jog with the old hermit to and from the training grounds he had chosen a couple miles away; training ground being a nice euphemism for a rock quarry. In the beginning, the young woman had only to keep her hands lit while they ran. As her control and abilities progressed, it became flaming spheres in her hands and keeping her feet lit. That had been one of the most painful lessons she had learned.

Channeling fire to her feet had turned out to be a major roadblock. No matter how hard she tried, she just could not get it. So, her teacher moved to using her powers to improve her strength and athletic abilities and to continue refining her control. The pale beauty was able to see in the dark and control the amounts of heat and kinetic force in her blasts. What she hadn't realized was that the focus on improving her physical abilities was to prepare her for what could only be described as an extreme case of tough-love training. He had been tough on her, but Shego had never expected this.

Ryujin-sennin only had one exercise for that day. The villainess would have to fight her way out of the training grounds. She had been reluctant, but the old man gave her no quarter. Within the first few minutes, he had hit the pressure points that allowed her to light up her hands. Within ten minutes, parts of Shego's uniform had been singed by fire attacks or ripped by the rocks she was sent tumbling over. If she tried to run, he was there to knock her back with fist or flame; it took all she had to dodge the hermit's attacks. She wasn't sure how long the session had been going when the old man decided to escalate the training. Fire erupted all around his body, twin pillars of flame flaring like wings from his back and forming claw-like flames gave explanation to his namesake.

Shego would never remember how she did it. All she knew was that she had kept him at bay by throwing her green flames with kicks until she was able to get out of the quarry. The young woman didn't even know she had run back home until she realized she was sitting against the door of her room. Ron eventually found her curled up in her closet, shivering and crying. She immediately clung to him and wept into his chest. The young blond held the hysterical woman until she had cried herself out, whispering comfortingly. Still in shock, the brunette numbly allowed herself to be given a bath and to be bandaged up by her host. Shego had come to her senses in time to finish dressing herself, though she wasn't sure if her blush was because he had seen her being weak or because he had seen her naked.

Ron told the young woman she would be able to take a break from magic training, but she would eventually have to return since Ryujin-sennin was the only one that could properly instruct her. During the break, she still trained in weapons; she had become proficient with the broadsword and twin swords, and the young woman was learning sword and shield now. Shego would use the spare time to test out an obstacle training course as large as a stadium that the blond had commissioned. The walls and fixtures had been enchanted like the walls of the prison cells to protect them. Each training set had things like parallel walls, large hoops, rope swings, and fixed horizontal bars. It took the limits of her acrobatic skills to clear the obstacles and strike the targets. She hadn't pushed herself like that in a long time. It was comparable to getting past a high-tech security system or fighting Possible. The young woman still routinely ran through the obstacle courses.

Entering the house, Shego called out her presence to find no one else home. She had asked about why there weren't any locks on the door once; it turned out that there were magic locks. The house gained a sense of the occupants and would only open for them or those they gave access. So, she wouldn't be picking too many locks anytime soon. At least not in this kingdom.

Undressing, she left her uniform draped over a chair. Collecting a change of clothes, Shego caught a glimpse of her naked form in the mirror. Turning about and posing, she watched her reflection with awe. It had been a while since she had had time to look at herself. The pale beauty had always been fit, but now she looked amazing. She scrutinized her well-defined abs, tight butt, and toned legs. In her opinion, she was muscular but still feminine. Squeezing her breasts, Shego noticed how firm they were. And if she wasn't mistaken, a little fuller. Posing with her sword, she felt like she had stepped out of a Boris Vallejo drawing. Shego sighed and picked up her clothes again. It would only make her unique back home; the image was pretty much common here.

As the hot water swept away the day's sweat and grime, the former villainess' mind wandered to what she would be up to tonight. She had gotten used to looking forward to the time she spent with Katarin, especially now that she was mostly able to understand the language. There were still things she didn't get yet, but she could handle basic conversations. It still surprised her how much the little girl had changed her. Or the young woman was finally being herself; she hadn't decided yet. The brunette knew she should be infuriated with her life right now and how complacent she had become, but she felt better than she had ever felt. The training was hard, but she had always loved learning new techniques. She couldn't help smiling when Katarin looked at her with eyes that said she could do no wrong, even when she was messing up reading a story to the child. If Shego was to have a daughter, this was how she wished it could be; but that was a life that had been denied to her.

Ron surprised her the most. He was still a goofy guy, but it was tempered by intelligence and confidence now. He still did things with food that she would have thought was magic if she didn't know better; in some cases, she wasn't convinced he used mundane means. She had teased him with simple flirting and innuendos in the beginning, but he didn't blush and stammer like he would when she knew him. This Ron would flirt back proficiently or team up with the little princess to launch a tickle attack. But she was getting better with accepting that Kriger was just a matured Ron. The paintings of him depicted as a conquering knight or viking god were a bit much, though. They looked too much like the cover of some trashy romance novel. But he made sure she had everything she could ask for without making her feel like a kept woman. All in all, she was safe, warm, and well fed; it was a pretty good life. She liked thinking of herself as Chloe; much like how she grown to enjoy being called by that name again.

Clean and dressed, Shego returned to her room to pick up her uniform. Her host had gotten her into the routine of dropping it off in his office so that it could be cleaned properly like her practice weapons. Hanging the uniform on the coat rack, the brunette noticed a folder open on the desk. Curiosity got the better of her since Ron normally completed all of his work while she was training during the day or sleeping at night. If she didn't catch him taking naps all the time, she'd wonder when he slept at all. The young woman sat down and pulled the file closer.

As she read, a frown grew and deepened on her face. Flipping back a few pages, she growled under her breath and went to the first page. "Power possibly radioactive," she mumbled as she read, "must be filtered by body as no known cases of radiation poisoning; initial data confirms base atomic force." Shego scanned down to another entry. "Weapon training: broadsword - instinctive use of power to augment physical skills." "Power increasing as estimated; base atomic energy remains with magic energy drawn to supplement; extreme measures being taken under advisement for training block." "Excelling in augmentation of acrobatic skills." The young woman felt like she had ice in her stomach as she scanned the rest of the entries. There were even charts and graphs pertaining to her training in both weapons and energy powers. She was confused as to how he had attained so much information without her knowledge until her gaze fell upon a table detailing exactly what information was recorded when. At the top were five column headings corresponding to her body and her right and left arm and legs. The brunette looked over at her training uniform; she had assumed the clasps were to replace the snaps that were normally there.

Shego was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the other presence until she caught the hand closing the file in her peripheral vision. Jumping up, she turned on the man like a cornered animal until recognition quickly dawned. "Who the hell do you think you are, Stoppable," the woman accused.

Ron looked at her without concern. "Uh, I think you kinda just answered that."

"That's not what I meant," she growled, moving to stand in front of him. "What gives you the right to record me without my knowledge like I'm a criminal!"

"One: it's my job to keep track of everyone with magical power," the blond reminded her, condescendingly. "That includes myself and Ryujin. Two: News flash, Shego, you are a criminal."

The young woman was stunned. "But...you've never...and the kid..."

The tall man looked at her coldly. "You have always been under the supervision of someone that could kill you without breathing heavy, and you are no good to me dead or locked up. The only reason I let you near Katarin is because I thought she would make you easier to control."

Shego looked at him, dumbfounded. "How can you act like this? You're supposed to be one of good guy, a hero. I trusted you."

"There are no good guys or bad guys, just who you swear allegiance to," the young man replied. "The only law in this world is what I can uphold with my sword."

"You can't treat me like this," she yelled, getting her face up into the blond's. "I should tear you apart."

Ron's pupils began glowing with blue light. "Give it a try. You don't know how strong I am, but I know exactly how strong you are. And even if you could kill me, my armies will hunt you down like the bitch you are."

"I know you just didn't call me what I think you just called me," she screeched.

Not wavering or backing down, the young man was nose to nose with her. "You have nowhere to go and aren't fluent in the language. If it wasn't for me, you'd be dead or whoring right now."

Shego could see the arcs of energy behind his eyes and could only think about the stories she had heard of this man calling down lightning in battles. But he was right. She new he was strong, but not how strong. Turning on her heels, she stormed off in huff. Before stepping out of the room, she gave a parting shot to get the last word. "What would Kimmie think if she saw you now?"

---

Shego paced before a reflecting fountain, her eyes blazing with a green fire to match her hands and feet. Located in the center of the castle garden maze, it was a place the young woman liked to go when she wanted to be alone. She cursed Stoppable for making her feel welcome when she was only a means to an end for him. It also hurt that he was right about her not having anywhere to go. But she was angrier at herself for believing she could have anything resembling a happy life.

Turning for another lap, she stopped short noticing the little girl sitting on one of the benches. Shego extinguished the flames as the princess ran up to her with a loop of flowers in hand. Kneeling more out of habit than anything, she accepted her usual hug and peck on the cheek. "_I made this for you, Big Sister,_" Katarin squealed happily placing the flowers on the older woman's head.

"Uh, yeah," the brunette said, rubbing the young girl's head. "Thanks. How'd you find me?"

"_I saw you come here, so I made your present. And then you were grumbling and walking around like a fire sprite,_" the redhead said adoringly. "_Except you don't have wings, but that's okay because you are much bigger so I can hug you lots and lots."_

Shego chuckled and poked the princess' nose, eliciting a giggle. "How can I argue logic like that."

"_Are you upset?"_ the young redhead asked, pouting.

The young woman sighed. "Stoppable and I had a fight. Hurtful things were said, and I'm probably gonna have to leave."

"_But I don't want you to leave, Big Sister," _the girl sniffled while hugging Shego tightly.

The ivory skinned woman held the girl, stroking the back of her head. "I don't want to go either. Stoppable's only keeping me around to further some plan instead of friendship; I can't live like that."

"_Okay, I'll tell Big Brother to stop being a meanie," _Katarin said before running off.

The young woman stared in confusion and indecision. The child had always been mercurial, so the sudden decision to be helpful wasn't difficult to get past. A part of her feared what other revelations this conversation would reveal; she worried that more of what she took comfort in would turn out to be lies. "You're such a waste, Chloe," she mumbled to herself. Her face hardening with resolve, she stood up and ran after the princess. Chloe was too soft-hearted for this, but Shego had never backed down from a confrontation.

---

When the young woman got back to the house, she could see Ron sitting on the porch steps with his head in his hands. Noticing the little redhead approaching the young man, Shego hid behind a tree to observe the exchange.

When the blond finally noticed the girl, he looked up into her frowning face. "_Why are you making Big Sister Chloe go away?"_

_"I...um...it...,_" he tried to start before sighing. "_It's kind of complicated._"

"_So, you don't know why either?"_ the girl asked innocently, nearly causing Shego to burst out in laughter.

The young man smiled sadly. "_Out of the mouths of babes. I don't really want her to leave, but hurtful things were said."_

_"Why don't you go say you're sorry? Don't you love her?"_

_"Well,...I...I wouldn't say love,_" Ron replied, flustered._ "She's grown to mean a lot more to me than I thought possible, sure. But she's probably long gone on her way to making a fortune; she's way too smart to be held back by someone like me."_

The brunette had to smile that a man who had faced death on a nearly weekly basis since he was twelve could be brought down so easily by a little girl; she always did enjoy watching the two together. "_Big Sister Chloe was at the fountain being all mad at you_," Katarin informed him.

"_Was she really, really mad with me?" _the young man asked.

"_Uh-huh," _the princess nodded vigorously. "_She was going fwoosh and grrr and 'Big Brother's a meanie.'"_

The blond chuckled at the animated girl. "_That angry, huh?" _he sighed. "_Why don't you go wash up, and I'll try to find her to apologize."_

The little redhead skipped inside, leaving Ron still sitting on the porch. Shego was beginning to get upset that he wasn't looking for her when he suddenly looked right at her. "You can come out now," he called to her.

Stepping from behind the true, the young woman walked up and took a seat beside her host. "How long you know I was there?"

"Just a minute," he replied. "I can get an automatic sense of personal danger, but specific details or other stuff requires concentration." After a few minutes of silence, he lay down on his back. "Look, I'm sorry, Chloe. There are some personal issues I've been trying to work through, and I'm kinda stressed with some peace negotiations going on."  
"Apology accepted, but you'd better not treat me like that again," she told him. After receiving his agreeing promise, she noticed a somewhat expectant look from him. "What?"

"Well, aren't you going to apologize for anything you said?" he asked.

"Uh, no. I don't recall saying anything wrong," she informed him.

"It would have been nice," Ron mumbled.

"Aw, don't you wuv me anymore," she teased him.

"No," he exclaimed blushing. "Not that I couldn't, you know, 'cause it's not like your ugly. I mean, you're beautiful, of course; but you're not my type. Not because you were a villainess or anything." The blond took a deep breath. "Can't I just stop talking now instead of digging myself deeper."

Shego laughed. "That's the Stoppable I remember."

"Yeah, that's kinda the problem," he said sadly. "You're the only person to remember me as a bumbling idiot, so I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."

She shrugged. "We've both changed because of this place. You've become more serious and responsible; I've mellowed out some. It took a while to get used to, but I still see the Ron from before when you're doing crazy antics to make the princess smile. The old you would have been more familiar, but all I really knew was that you were a nice guy. It's been pretty cool getting to know you as a friend."

Ron smiled at her. "Yeah, it has been nice to have someone I can connect with like this. It hasn't felt as lonely with you around; I'd miss that if you left."

The young woman blushed slightly and looked away. "So, uh, what's a fire sprite?" she changed the subject.

"It's pretty much what we'd have called a will-o-the-wisp. It lives in deep forests and marshland. They guide the innocent to safety and the wicked to their deaths," he answered. "Don't ever follow one, even if you are with Katarin."

"Because I'm wicked?" she laughed.

Ron smiled. "All adults are wicked to them; only children are innocent. There are a lot of good people out there, but every adult thinks the same thing if they see a fire sprite while accompanying a child: 'I can follow the child while they are led out.' They'll trick you into getting separated and cause you to become further lost or die by some feature of the land."

The two drifted off into a comfortable silence that was broken when Katarin latched onto the brunette's back. Laughing, Shego carried the girl inside like this so that the three could make dinner together.

A/N

This turned out to be longer than I had intended. And it's only half of what I had planned to include in this chapter. The next chapter will see Ron showing how strong he is. Depending on how long that turns out, I might be able to add another event or two. Well, thanks for everyone's faithful readership.


	12. Job Offer

Previously on Ttakepa: Shego found the file Ron had been keeping on her open in his office. When she confronted him about it, Ron blew up at her and said things he didn't mean. They reconciled after she saw how repentant Ron was while talking with Katarin.

Chapter 12

Shego's mind was racing as she rushed into the house; she had no idea what she had done to be summoned like this. In all the time she had been there, the young woman had never met the king; and she would have preferred to stay under that radar. But when a messenger stops your obstacle training to inform you the monarchy is requesting your presence, you don't insult them by taking your sweet time. Nope, not the people that can order executions and have armies to dispatch at a whim.

Nervously standing before Ron's office, the brunette tried to compose herself. As she raised her fist to knock, the door was suddenly opened. Shego took notice of her host holding the door and Ryujin standing to the side of an armor-clad man seated at the desk. Giving a small smile to the young man as she walked in, she realized how solemn the situation was when he barely acknowledged her before closing the door and taking a place on the other side of the man she was certain must be King Martis Mulig.

The middle-aged man stood as she approached. "_Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, Lady Chloe,"_ he greeted her, offering her a seat in front of the desk; she had never seen the chair there before. "_I will not keep you from your duties, gentlemen," _the man thanked them. "_I believe everything has been discussed sufficiently."_

The two men left, closing the door behind them. The young woman turned back to see the king silently advising her to remain quiet a moment longer. "_I am sure we shall have the privacy we are due. I highly disbelieve that two grown men would act like children by listening at the door."_ She could hear the muffled sounds of two sets of feet fading away; Shego found the humor that graced her lips also on the features of the man across from her.

King Matis smiled warmly. _"You may speak with your native tongue but bear with me, as I am still slow with understanding your language. First, a personal note. Young Katarin greatly enjoys your company. Regretfully, her mother and I have many duties that do not allow us to spend time with her as we wish; and her older brother and sister have their own families to look after. We wish to thank you for spending time with her as you have._"

"It's no problem," she replied. "She's a good kid."

The monarch smiled again. "_Thank you, nonetheless._" With the pleasantries over, he became more serious. "_As I'm sure you are aware, you have been under the tutelage of Ambassador Ryujin for magical combat and conditioning and under Ronald for swordsmanship. In the course of your six months under their training, you have achieved proficiency many would not be able to achieve in twice that time under either regime. You have also been able to fundamentally understand the common language, though literacy and personal speech are yet still of a basic level. This also is a fine achievement, and I commend you for them._"

The young woman's heart was racing. She still couldn't figure out what this was about. "Uh, thanks...sir."

"_As you are foreign to our world, much as Ronald once was, I feel responsible for you as I do with him. Are you happy here?_" Martis asked.  
Shego's heart stopped for a moment from the shock. "I don't think I understand what you mean."

"_Do not fear retaliation on my part_," the kind tried to soother her. "_I hope that you will give a straightforward answer to a straightforward question. Are you happy? I know that Ronald has not been...easy... to share a household with, though his temperament has improved greatly during your time here._"

"Uh...I guess I'm happy," the young woman answered hesitantly. "I haven't really thought about it."

"_Were you not, Lady Chloe_," the older man smiled, "_you would know it. May I then inquire as to why you continue residing here? You have undergone many hardship, rigorous training and my daughter's incessant demands to wed Ronald for instance, that would have caused many to rightfully become embittered._"

Shego took a few moments to collect her thoughts. "When I first got here, I knew I wouldn't survive. So, I figured I'd use Stoppable until I knew what was what. I mean, he was a buffoon; this was the guy that tied himself up with complex knots while trying to climb down a rope." She wasn't sure why she was telling him these things, but she couldn't keep her feelings bottled up anymore. She continued quietly, "but I found out that I wasn't dealing with Stoppable; the boy had grown into the man 'Kriger.' I also found out just how much I needed to learn, and I kept having to delay my getaway. 'I'll escape in a month after I've gotten better with the sword.' or 'Maybe next month, after I master throwing fire while blocking magic attacks.' And in the meantime, I had a sweet little girl and a nice guy making sure I smiled at least once a day. I mean really smile." Shego hugged herself as she started curling in on herself, smiling slightly as she lost herself in thought. "There was a night I was reading with Katarin, and she fell asleep in my lap. She hugged me in her sleep, and I must have drifted off while watching her. Ron came by later and carried us together to my bed. The next morning, I found she had kicked the covers off and was laying across me. When we got downstairs, Ron asked us how 'his ladies' had slept." The young woman laughed. "I love kids, even got a degree in child development so that I could teach. But things changed, and it ended up that I lost my chance to have a family forever. So, I let myself pretend we're the happy household I once dreamed about."

The young woman was not sure how she would answer the next question she expected, and that uncertainty worried her even more. But the king simply nodded his understanding. "_If you do find that life does become unbearable, you have but to seek mine or the queen's counsel at anytime._"

"Thanks, your Highness," she replied, wiping away the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. "Is that all you wanted to discuss?"

"_I do have a few other points of business concerning your training and possibly your future with the kingdom,_" the older man stated. "_As I have stated previously, you have done exceptionally well with your training. In fact, you have been taught all that Ambassador Ryujin can teach you._"

"But I can't do everything yet," Shego exclaimed. "I still need more training."

"_He has full confidence that you possess all the knowledge that you need_," he reassured her. "_Your powers are similar, but not the same; it was not unexpected that you would not have the capability to perform every technique. Now, while you have become a formidable fighter; I wish for you to become a warrior for the kingdom._"

"I...I don't understand," she said, confused.

"_I am offering you employment_," Martis elaborated. "_You would start as an apprentice to Ronald, and then I hope to have you take over his duties when he returns to his home. Primarily, you would be dealing with major threats such as rampaging beasts and such; we will be promoting one of the soldiers to assume the military commands._"

"How will that change things from the way they are now?"  
"_You life would be in more danger as you will be traveling to different areas. Aside from this, you will still reside within the castle walls and be allowed to maintain your relations and training at your discretion. So long as they adhere to the laws._"

"Did Stoppable suggest this?" Shego accused. "Turn me into a hero again?"

"_Ronald cares deeply for you and your safety; he was very much opposed to this_," the king advised her. "_It has been my intention since you were first found to present this opportunity to you. I had feared your powers would present a hazard to those around you, but all the data that has been collected thus far have shown no such indication._"

"Another weapon for your armies?" Shego asked coldly. "Is that all I am to you, the promise of a dog of war?"

A hard look came to Martis' eyes as he met the young woman's glare. "_I love my children very much, though it may not seem that way to you at times. I have grown accustomed to the joy Katarin has been able to experience because of the peace Ronald has worked so hard for. For generations, the kings of Mulig have lived as soldiers; though we do not live as the common man does. Mulig has always fought for peace, and I wish to ensure that by continuing the legacy Ronald has created. You would be a mascot, a figurehead perhaps; but your presence will maintain the reputation of strength formed these last few years. I want Katarin, all the children, to remain innocent as long as possible._"

Shego thought quietly for several minutes. "I'll take the job for now. But I'm quitting if I don't think it's for me."

"_That is all that I could expect._" The king nodded before standing. "_Advise Ronald of your decision when he returns home; he will know where to proceed._" Just before exiting the room, he turned back to the pale woman. "_And take care of Ronald for us, would you. Though nothing will ever erase the darkness now present within him, your residence has returned him closer to the jovial and companionable young man he once was._"

The brunette mutely nodded her assent. Once she had escorted the older man to the door, the young woman sat in the living room and mulled over the meeting.

---

Ron loudly laughed as he trod into the house, carrying the little redhead on his back. The girl continued to squeal her enjoyment even after the blond man had stopped laughing as suddenly as he he stopped walking. He didn't need any special powers to sense the anger radiating from the pale woman seated in the room. "_Uh-oh_," he yelled, deftly flipping the girl over his shoulder so that he could hide behind her standing form. "_Big Brother in trouble! Big Brother in trouble!_"

The young girl immediately took a defensive stance, though the grin never left her face. "_Protect Big Brother at all costs!_" she cheered.

Shego nearly smiled at these antics but was able to control her features as she pouted at the girl. "Big Brother's been mean to me, so I want to talk to him about it. Why don't you play outside for a while, and then we'll have dinner."

"_Okay, Big Sister Chloe_" Katarin cried, rushing back out the door.

The young man fell back on his butt. "Traitor," he called after the princess. "Aw, man. What I do this time?" he asked the brunette.

"You lied to me!" she yelled. "After what happened, I trusted you again. And you lied to me!"

"Uh, okay. If you tell me what lie you're talking about, I can get to the apologizing and groveling faster."

"Something bugged me when the king mentioned the data collected on me. So, I checked my training uniforms. The uniforms you said you had taken the sensing stones out of!"

Ron sighed and moved to a chair. "Martis told me to switch them with smaller stones when I told him I was removing them. He wanted to be sure that you weren't accidentally harming Katarin."

"I would never do anything to hurt her," she stated indignantly.

"We know that," he replied, trying to soothe her, "but it might have been something you couldn't control. There was a chance that as your powers grew stronger, the radioactive portion would have grown stronger as well. You did get them from a comet, and our world isn't known for sporting 'mystic stones from the sky.'"

"I've blasted at Drakken and Kimmie hundreds of times, and they've been fine," said the brunette, flippantly.

"Yeah, which is why I thought it wouldn't be a problem," the blond assured the woman. "Even though there is a detectable core of atomic energy in your readings, it's obvious there was no health risk. You and your brothers have been running around for years using your powers. You guys and everyone around you have shown absolutely no negative effects or even being in less than perfect health. Hell, you have accelerated healing."

Shego looked away. "Yeah...perfectly healthy," she said uncomfortably. "I've chosen to accept this apprenticeship thing for now," the young woman informed him, quickly changing the subject. "If it starts to suck, I'm bailing."

The young man nodded. "Cool, this is going to be badical. We'll start that training tomorrow, and your weapons training will be combined into it from now on."

"Whatever," she replied.

A/N

Had a bit of writer's block on this one. Just didn't like how the dialog was going. And this turned out to be a really dialog intensive chapter. And life keeps getting in the way. Hope y'all enjoy this one. Enjoy.


	13. Starting Apprenticeship

Lat time on Ttakepa: Shego was called to meet Martis, king of Mulig. During the meeting, she accepted an offer of apprenticeship to become a mystic protector of the kingdom.

Chapter 13

The brunette woman stood only in her undergarments as she held the item in her hands against the light streaming through her window. The material was thin and supple, but it didn't seem to allow any light through. A lot like some of her leather clothing back home. Ron said it was the sub-armor for her combat uniform, and the measurements were the same as her training suits. Which were based on her old costume. Unfortunately, she had never gotten around to seeing if they could be resized. Thanks to all the hard exercise, her body shape had changed a little. Wearing underwear had become worse than useless, though the young woman had been able to find a bra that worked comfortably.

Shego pressed against the hard plates of the sub-armor that gave the item a lot of its shape. The pieces had been so expertly worked that Ron assured her she would be completed protected without losing any of her mobility or flexibility. On her bed rested the larger pieces that would be secured with invisible straps and buckles that boggled her mind. The young woman still wasn't sure if she believed his story about having it ready so soon because he had it commissioned with her training outfits. She had only just accepted the offer the day before. Resigning herself, the brunette removed her remaining clothing and began suiting up.

---

The blond man rose from his meditation as he sensed his new apprentice approaching the small glade. After showing her how to don the armor, he headed to a local mountain where he preferred to train. It afforded him numerous options for obstacle paths, and he could practice his ninjutsu stealth skills on the animals. Ron took in the lithe and powerful form of the woman before him. The formfitting armor covered everything up to her jawline and was almost completely black. Green plates were affixed to her forearms, shins, knees, and the backs of her hands. Each plate darkened from the edges to blend into the sub-armor. A breastplate with companion back plate provided further protection to her torso and had flared edges so that they wouldn't impede movement. Multiple green plates also adorned her abdomen like scales and mirrored the definition of muscle they defended beneath. Two small swords hung from her hips, held by a black belt similar to the double-wrap style he wore for his broadsword. Set in the buckle of her belt was a clear stone, though the man knew it wouldn't remain so after today.

"So, what," she called out as the pale woman tucked some errant strands back behind her ear, "I don't get a helmet or something?" She saw he was wearing the outfit he had worn on their first shopping trip together except the sword belt had a different buckle. Like the one he had given her to wear, except the young man's jewel was cerulean.

"Naw," Ron replied. "With the way you fight, it would only get in the way. Get everything figured out okay?"

"Yeah. It's just a little tight." The young woman stretched her neck. "And what's the deal with this collar being so stiff?"

"It's to help protect against strangulation. Everything will become more comfortable as the armor acclimatizes to your power."

"Oh, some kind of special metal?"

"Nope," the blond replied nonchalantly. "The fabric of the sub-armor is dragonskin. Everything else from the small plates to the cuirass are dragon scales."

"Dragons were killed for this stuff?" Shego whispered in horror as she blanched. "And they exist?"

"Oh, no, no," he assured her. "They shed their skins every so often. It's a big trade up in the northern lands; a whole profession around it. History goes that the humans and dragons made a deal that the humans could take the skins and discarded scales if they provided protection for the nests."

"Well, that's all right then. Heh. Brings new meaning to skin tight; it was even tailored to mold around my boobs," she commented, trying to embarrass him.

"Yeah. I've heard some people just go naked under them. Guess they're serious when they say like a...second...skin." he started joking before noticing her blush. "You're not!" he exclaimed, incredulously as he scanned over her figure.

The pale woman brought her arms up to cove herself. "Stop trying to look," she demanded before turning her back to him.

"So, that's the famous ass wanted in eleven countries," the blond commented with an approving tone. "Talk about apple bottom."

Shego quickly straightened up at his comment and tried to cover her butt with her hands. After taking a moment to compose herself, the young woman turned around. "I don't want to hear another word," she ordered, still taking deep breaths to control her seething.

"No problem," Ron grinned, his eyes low. "But could you just breathe a little bit slower. Thanks."

The young woman looked at the man in confusion before following his gaze. Realizing what part of her anatomy he was focused on, she growled and threw a plasma blast that he easily dodged. "Quit it," she yelled as she chased him.

Shego was unable to score a hit as the blond man stayed just outside of her sight. Across the ground and through the trees, he was always just beyond her reach. On several occasions, he would even whisper into her ear his ongoing debate on what her best feature was. And each time she would grow more incensed when he wasn't there for her backfist. The worst was when he actually switched which ear he was whispering to in the middle of her punch.

A few hours later, the young woman collapsed from exhaustion and struggled to catch her breath. She heard her tormentor slowly walk up to her and watched him squat above her head and poke her nose. Shego made a half-hearted attempt to hit him again, but her arm was just too heavy. "How'd you do all that? You can't be that much faster than me."

"I'm a ninja," he reminded her. Ron glanced her over. "Well, it wasn't how I'd originally planned it; but this worked out fine."

"To incapacitate me and molest my body?"

"Uh, no. Your armor works with the natural protection that prevents your plasma from burning you. Now that it's tasted your energy, it should automatically defend against simple stuff like fires, acids, and blades in need of sharpening. When using your glow, it could allow you to shrug off most weapons. Your claws should now retract and extend at will. And I can see your belt buckle has taken on a green hue, so you'll be able to use its summoning effect after a couple more sessions."

"Whoa there, sparky. What do you mean by summoning?" she asked, intrigued.

"Well, it's kind of impractical to wear this all the time, but you're not always going to have the time to change clothes, either. So, someone figured out a way to switch between whatever you're wearing and your armor. Pretty cool, huh?"

"I admit, that is rather convenient," Shego stated approvingly. "Where does it go when your not wearing it? Some room somewhere?"

"Nope. Takes too much energy to transport if it's a really long distance, and you'd have to have a transformation pose. The jewel converts your clothes back and forth. If what you want to switch to has more mass than what you're wearing, additional energy is used to make up the difference. If it's less, it's just the standard; but you'd still have to switch back eventually. The loss is negligible unless you're low on power. Energy is only used for conversion, so you won't change out of your armor if unconscious or something."

"Which means if I'm in a dangerous situation, and low on strength, it's just better to stay in the armor."

"Exactly. I can show you what it looks like, though your transformation will look different."

Shego nodded her assent and sat up. The young man walked a few paces away and turned back. Taking a relaxed stance, an arc of blue electricity surged across his form in the blink of an eye. Now, he was wearing a loose white martial arts uniform. His torso was protected by a simple Japanese breastplate that had two plates hanging down to protect the fronts and outsides of his thighs. His pants were baggy, cinching below the knee . His boots had metal plating on the shin, and his arms were protected by open-palmed leather gauntlets with metal on the forearm and back of the hand. His broadsword and belt remained, jarring against the aesthetics of his clothing. The young woman could appreciate the simplicity and elegance of his combat uniform, but she could tell immediately that he was far more vulnerable than she or any of the soldiers she had seen so far.

"That's pretty much it. The light show is based on your power. As you use it, it'll get faster; and you'll be able to change while moving or even only change to part of it."

"What's with the lack of armor?"

Ron sighed. "It's not because I'm trying to protect you more or arrogance in my strength if that's what your thinking. You'll find out sooner or later, but there's nothing I can use. Part of my power goes into creating a barrier just above my skin simply to keep from tearing my clothes apart. I've studied the data. Where your body becomes more invulnerable the stronger your powers become, I only have a somewhat above average resilience. I use my energies to augment what I can and try not to be too big a target."

The young woman found herself somewhat uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going and changed the subject. "Any way to get the transforming thing going faster? It'd make things a lot easier."

"I don't know," the blond hesitated. "There is one way, but it's better to take this gradually."

Shego crawled the short distance to her companion and pouted up at him while she ran a finger lightly along his thigh. "Please, Ron. I'd really appreciate it."

"Don't think I'm going to fall for your feminine wiles; I'm not a naive kid anymore."

"Oh, but you've all ready fallen for my trap." With lightning speed, the brunette tripped the young man and straddled his stomach, pinning his arms under her knees. "Now, are you going to tell me what I want to know, or do I get rough?"

Ron grinned up at the pale beauty smugly. "I'd ask for rough, but you don't have me yet." Bucking, the young man forced the smaller woman up to his chest. Curling up his body, he hooked his feet under her shoulders and rolled them both as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Now sitting, the young man had Shego's shoulders pinned under his outstretched legs, and her legs bent over his shoulders.

The petite woman struggled but was unable to break free. She glared at the smug face between her knees. "Ok, you win again. Feel like a man now?"

The blond grinned. "Funny thing about dragonscale. While it can stop most blows, it's still light enough for the wearer to experience tactile sensations."

Shego looked horrified. "You wouldn't."

Her only reply was the unrelenting tickling she was unable to escape.

---

Shego sat slumped against a tree. "Damn bastard," she grumbled, "nearly pissed myself." The brunette had hoped the breastplate would protect her sides, but she hadn't taken into account his knowledge of her suit's structure. At least the blond had told her what she'd wanted to know before running off while she was still convulsing with fits of laughter.

Closing her eyes, the young woman placed her hands on either side of her belt buckle and focused on channeling her energy through it from one hand to the other. Like her previous training, Shego concentrated on the circular flow she could feel through her body down into the gem and back into her body. The gentle sounds of the forest fell away as all of her attention became dedicated to this act.

The former villainess was not sure how long she had been at the task when she slowly became aware of snuffling and the warmth of something wet on her cheek and nipping at her ear. Frustrated with the interruption, Shego simply moved the irritant away without diverting too much attention to it. When the sensations returned, she again pushed it away. After several such events, her concentration was being held by the thinnest of threads. This time, she grabbed the snout and shoved it to the side, cursing the dog under her breath.

A moment later, it clicked in her thoughts that there were only wild animals in the area. The young woman didn't have long to contemplate this as she was suddenly knocked over by the large animal. Laying on her back, the pale beauty stared up into the muzzle of what looked like a wolf. A wolf with very large, sharp fangs. Shego swallowed nervously. "Hey, buddy. You don't want to eat me, people say I'm pretty rotten." Her laugh died in her throat as the creature's ears perked forward while it looked at her curiously.

The young woman tried to keep from trembling as the animal sniffed at her face and hair. She could smell the canine's rank breath and was afraid she'd be the next meal caught between those teeth. The brunette held still while the animal would lick at her face and then watch her. Feeling heartened by the lack of hostile actions, Shego slowly raised her hands. She would keep one still when it caught the wolf's attention, and the other would creep closer to its head until it gained his attention. When she was finally able to get a hand close enough, the young woman gently scratched the animal between the ears and earned a sound she thought she would never hear as it collapsed on top of her.

---

The tall blond silently watched one of the strangest sights he had ever seen. And he had seen some odd ones from before the portal and after. Sitting against a tree with a large wolfish creature curled up in her lap, head resting on her bosom, was Shego. His house guest was vigorously using both hands to rub the varuflur's belly while its eyes were shut in a look of absolute rapture. And she was using baby talk to tell it what a good and handsome beast he was.

""Found yourself a new boyfriend?" Ron asked, grinning as he walked up.

The brunette frowned, stopping her ministrations. "You're just jealous that you look like a mangy hobo, and he doesn't," she shot haughtily.

"Well, Katarin likes my beard," the blond countered, crossing his arms. "And she rubs my tummy, too."

The young woman stared at him. "Are you seriously getting jealous of an animal?"

"No," he exclaimed aloofly. "I can show affection just as well as any animal."

The animal took this moment to realize the petting had stopped. Looking around quickly and began lapping under her jaw. The affection elicited a small giggle and the return of her attention. While nuzzling her cheek against the beast's muzzle, Shego glanced up impishly at her companion.

"I can do that," the blond stated half-heartedly.

"But when you do it, it's creepy," the woman retorted.

His shoulders slumped. "Never mind." Sighing, Ron sat beside them to scratch the creature's belly. At least until it decided it didn't like the new attention and would alternate between trying to push the young man's hand away and whining at the brunette. The pale woman could only laugh as the large warrior turned away to sulk, mumbling about not wanting to pet it anyways.

All too soon, the affections the beauty and beast gave to one another had to come to an end. Perking his ears, the animal disentangled himself and jogged out a few steps. Cocking his head to listen to something they couldn't hear, the varuflur whined. "What's up with him?" Shego asked, nudging the man beside her.

Turning to look, he scanned the area where the beast was facing. "He's probably needed back with his pack. Varuflur usually range out during the day for hunting. This one's young, so this is probably one of his first times hunting alone."

Trotting back to the pair, the beast nuzzled the young woman again and licked her face. Ron turned away when the creature turned to him. "Nope. You didn't want my attention, I don't want yours," he stated in a huff.

Whimpering, the animal moved to the man's other side and put a paw on his stomach. While rubbing his paw back and forth, it looked up at the man expectantly.

Sighing, Ron scratched the creature's head. "Fine, you win," the blond sighed. "Happy now?"

With a lolling grin, the varuflur raced off to meet up with his pack.

"Well, that was fun," the pale woman proclaimed, leaning against the tree again. "Now what?"

"Did you finish filling your jewel with energy?" the young man inquired.

"Naw, I got distracted."

"That's all right. Plenty of time for that," he assured her. Standing, he offered a hand to his companion. "We should head back. Katarin will be furious if she can't tell you about her day."

Shego smiled as she used the offered hand to rise. "Yeah, I bet she will. And she'll want to hear about that vulpafleur thing."

"Varuflur," the man corrected as they started down the mountain path. "They are psychic wolves that use empathy to communicate and hunt. It's been said that they can tell things about you just by your scent."

"So, that one must have smelled something nice about me," she grinned.

"Or it's because your such a bi-eautiful and charming person," he quickly corrected, catching the glare the former villainess gave him. "Not that I want to change the subject but to change the subject, how would you like to see me fighting at full power?"

"Well, sure," Shego replied. "I only get to see bits and pieces. And I wanna find out if everyone's just been exaggerating how good you are."

"Excellent. I have a duel to the death in about a week, and you can be my second. It's just for ceremonial purposes," the blond told her.

The brunette stopped. "Duel to the death?!"

Ron waved off her reaction as he kept walking. "Oh, it's not like anyone really dies in those things. They just call them that because they're trying to kill each other."

The young woman looked at her companion's back in confusion. "Wait, what?" She chased after him, trying to get more details from him.

A/N 

Been a while. Like a lot of other authors, holidays are a busy time. Hopefully, the next part or two won't take so long. They aren't that long in my mind, but most of these chapters rarely are. I'm thinking about using the forums and polls features, but I don't know what I want to do with them yet. Not much else to say because I've forgotten anything else I might want to say due to the length of time. Well, hope you've enjoyed the story so far.


	14. Prelude to Battle

Last time on Ttakepa: Shego received her new combat uniform and started training in magical combat with Ron.

Chapter 14

Shego valiantly struggled to keep sleeping that morning, but the feeling of something being different was hard to ignore. Even in her groggy condition, she tried to reason with her old instincts so that blissful slumber could return. The feeling wasn't unfamiliar, just hadn't been there before. Since it was familiar, there was nothing to fret about, and there was no reason not to keep sleeping. But her mind still wanted to know what it was before relenting. Sighing, the young woman opened her eyes. Her vision quickly focused and was filled with the toothy smile of an excited little girl.

Yelling out as she jumped to the side, Shego tumbled out of her bed, dragging the sheets with her. Still lying on the ground with a leg resting on the bed, the brunette propped herself up by an elbow and rubbed the back of the head. _"Big Brother can kiss your boo-boo and make it all better. He said his kisses make the girls feel really good."_

The young woman smirked at that. "What are you doing here, kid?" She knew she should be angry with the little redhead, but it just seemed to her like the child could do no wrong.

"_Can I come and watch the duel with you, Big Sister? Please, please, please,_" Katarin begged.

"Ron said it would be pretty brutal," the pale woman stated as she climbed back into bed and pulled the princess into her embrace. "But if your dad said it was fine, I'm not going to complain. Did you ask your dad?"

The girl fidgeted and wouldn't make eye contact, confirming what the woman had figured. "_Um, daddy said it was okay if you said I could come."_

_ "_Uh-huh. Well, we could ask your big brother," Shego commented innocently. "He said he would be meeting with your dad early and then finish packing so we could leave around midday. I'm sure the king will have talked to Ron about it."

Katarin fidgeted quietly for several minutes. "_Big Sister?_" the girl called quietly. "_Daddy didn't say I could go."_

"You lied," the pale beauty gasped in exaggerated shock.

"_I'm sorry," _the petite child apologized, hugging the older woman._ "I wanna see Big Brother fight. He never tells me about any of the battles."_

"Well, there's really not much to tell about these kinds of things," Shego assured the girl. "Besides, you'll probably get to see more than your fair share when you're older. Right now, you should focus on your studies and being the sweetest, most cutest little princess ever. Okay?" she asked before relentlessly tickling the redhead.

Katarin squealed with laughter under the attack while trying to agree. When she was done torturing the child, the young woman picked the younger girl up under an arm. "Now, let's get cleaned up and see what Ron made for breakfast."

*-*-*-*

Once they finished taking a bath, Shego put on some traveling clothes. She braided the young girl's hair into pigtails and then let her help brush her own long hair. By the time they were done, the blond owner of the home had completed a decent meal for them. While the two girls ate, Ron was loading their luggage on the horses. When he returned, he called out his arrival.

Katarin ran up to the large man and jumped up to hug him. Holding her with one arm, he gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You haven't been giving Chloe any trouble, have you?"

"Nope, she's been the sweetest, most cutest little princess ever," the pale woman assured him, winking at the little girl.

"_Oh, Big Brother," _the girl exclaimed, _"Big Sister hit her head when she woke up. Kiss it and make it better."_

_ "_Why didn't you do it?" he asked. "Kisses from princesses are special."

"_No, mine are too little; yours are the bestest," _the redhead replied as if it was the most obvious thing ever.

"Fine," he answered, setting her down. Putting an arm around the former villainess' shoulders, the young man kissed the top of her head.

Grinning mischievously, she directed him to the site of the actual bump, which she had completely forgotten about until now. When he promptly kissed there, she pointed to her lips. "Oh, here hurts, too." He started to lean in but caught himself and tried to disengage. Unfortunately, the pale beauty had latched onto his torso. "Come on, Stoppable. I heard your kisses make the girls feel really good."

Ron pushed on her shoulders, repeatedly yelling out about cooties while the young woman made kissing sounds at him. After an intricate series of moves, the blond was able to get her tossed over his shoulder. "Well, look at the time," he exclaimed, out of breath. "I'll get you a souvenir," the young man promised, kneeling down and kissing the little girl on the forehead. He gave her a light poke in the belly. "Be good."

Turning around, he allowed the woman over his shoulder to give her goodbyes. "Last one out turns off the lights," the brunette told her, scratching the top of the girl's head. "Now, give me a kiss so I can miss you while I'm gone, one for each cheek so the other doesn't get jealous," she requested, earning a giggle from the child.

With everything said, Ron carried his bundle out the door. Shego waited several minutes to see if he was going to let her down. "You going to carry me all the way to the stables?"

"I have to make sure we get there," he replied. "Don't want you spreading your girl cooties," the blond teased.

The young woman wiggled and kicked her legs but couldn't break free. Almost ready to give up, the mischievous woman caught sight of a new target. With stealthy precision, she struck at the man's backside; but he shifted position so that her hand missed. "You're not supposed to dodge!"

"All's fair in love and war," the larger man singsonged. "And bad girls should be punished." With a resounding smack, he brought a hand against a butt cheek.

"You'll pay for that, Stoppable," the pale beauty threatened. Trying several more times to strike at him again, she was only rewarded with slaps that alternated the sides of her bottom for her misses. Switching tactics, the brunette began grabbing handfuls of her target as her raucous laughter filled the air; this also rewarded her with continued swats. By the time they made it to their destination, both were quite saddle-sore before they had even mounted the horses.

*-*-*-*

Ron paced around the room, clothed in a light robe. "Come on," the blond whined, "we should have left by now."

"I'm dressing as fast as I can," Shego yelled through the closed door. "You're the one that said I had to wear this stupid battle suit instead of one of my training suits." The young woman finished the last few closures on her underarmor and started working on attaching the breastplate. "It's not like I'm gonna be doing anything," she growled under her breath.

"You'd be done by now if you had focused on channeling your energy into the transformation gem instead of playing with that dog," the young man chastised the former villainess.

"And if you were any kind of ninja, he wouldn't have been able to track us down every time we got out there," she snarked. Shego knew he was right, but she'd be damned to admit it. She also knew the armor would let her be a lot more comfortable by now had she not skimped out on the training. As it was, what she could wear literally did little more than protect her modesty.

Ron ended a tirade that the young woman had been resolutely ignoring as the door opened. "Didn't your mother ever tell you that a gentleman must wait patiently while a lady prepares for an outing,"

The larger man smirked, "I'll remember that the next time I see a lady."

"Being a lady isn't as much fun anyways." Shego gave a sultry pout and ran her finger down his chest. "If I can tame a beast with just my hands," she replied, pressing herself into him before finishing in a seductive whisper, "imagine what I can do with everything else."

Before he had a chance to fully collect himself, the young woman pushed herself away and started for the door. "Better get a move on or we'll be later than we already are."

"I swear you will be the death of me," Ron groaned.

"You would be so lucky," the brunette called over her shoulder.

*-*-*-*

Shego nervously watched the coliseum grounds from the royal box seats, her role in these events completed. Behind her, she could hear Ryujin-sennin, her previous training master, translating between the king and the leader of the Chitauri, Elder Bantu. Like King Martis, Elder Malandela had a warrior's physique, but the Chitauri were lizardmen. The scary kind that were always trying to destroy the human race in her brothers' comic books. Maybe that's why these guys crept her out.

Studying the arena stretched out before her, the young woman couldn't help but to go over the factoids Ron had annoyed her with on the ride to town. Scattered throughout were the ruins of pillars that once helped to define the different sections of gladiatorial combat; several still standing tall to attest to the architectural abilities of some dead guys. Runes had been etched into the stadium walls for the spells that would be active during the duel. Squinting, Shego could just make out some of the nexus points where mystics would be working to power and maintain the magic that would not only protect the spectators gathered with her, but it would also form a temporal field inside the arena. The combatants would appear to move at a little over half speed, and a precognition effect would teleport the loser seconds before death. That was the jist of all the goobledegook she had been told anyways, though her companion had spent hours excitedly explaining everything to her.

Near the middle, Ron and Ntombela, the young man's opponent, sat facing away from each other in quiet meditation to await the start of the duel; both wearing nothing but loincloths. The brunette was so lost in her contemplations, that she did not notice the older man until he clapped her on the shoulder. "_Ronald will be fine. He will fight with everything he has to bring peace between our nations_," the king assured her.

Shego smiled half-heartedly. "Sure. A war for peace."

The regal man sighed. "_These are restless times. Borders are continuously being contested, and nations look to their neighbors for spoils. Were it not for Ronald's vision of what he calls a United Nations, I would not have believed I would see an age like this until after my children's grandchildren were nothing but forgotten dust. But, yes, Ronald has had to wage a war that I have gladly endorsed so that our world can know prosperity._"

The brunette chuckled. "Kind of funny to see all this from a guy that was barely passing history classes. It's surreal sometimes. I end up thinking of him as two people most of the time, Ron and Kriger. I lay awake some nights wondering if he thinks of me the same way."

"_Like Katarin, Ronald's views of people are fairly simple. You are you and can only be you. Whether you are called Chloe or Shego, you hold a place in their hearts,_" the king assured her. Gesturing to a servant, he took the package the young man was holding and presented it to his lovely companion. "_Your birth anniversary is approaching, according to our scholars at least. Unfortunately, I will not be available when that day actually arrives; so I present it to you now. Katarin desired that I ensure you are aware she helped in this gift."_

The former villainess accepted the present reverently. "Can I open it now?"

"_I would much prefer you did," _he chortled.

Once unwrapped, Shego was holding up a green hooded cloak with a black lining. As she moved out around to examine it, the green seemed to shift in shading. "Dragon skin?" she inquired.

"_Wing_," Martis corrected, grinning excitedly. "_There's not much harvested, but it does have many applications. Try it on. Katarin chose the clasp."_

Smiling happily, the young woman wrapped the garment around her shoulders and examined the closure. The two pieces interlocked to form a silver fairy with long hair, and her outstretched arms were wrapped in flames and provided the tacking points. "The kid's got good taste."

"_No need," _the sandy-haired man waved off her concerns. "_You bring a great deal of joy to Katarin, and we think of you just as much of a daughter as Ron is a son. The cloak does have a simple enchantment that was added. There is a small wind spell that will respond to your thoughts; this will keep it out of your way in a fight or move to hide your actions."_

Shego tried to speak a few times, but no words would come out. "I love it," she finally said. "I don't know how to thank you."

_"I would not decline a hug," _Martis suggested slyly.

Grin wide on her face, the young woman tightly embraced the older man, receiving a similarly warm squeeze. "I haven't been this happy for a birthday in a long time."

"_It brings me much joy to hear such," _the king thanked her, kissing the brunette on the top of her head. "_Ronald taught me a phrase in your words to express myself, that he has assured me would bring you much merriment." _Martis cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "I like it when you call be Big Poppa."

Shego buried her face in the man's chest to muffle her squeal of laughter.

"_You find my words humorous. Did I say them correctly?" _he asked.

"Yeah, yeah. Say it again." the young woman requested.

"_Ronald said you would be familiar with the song and the performer," _the blond man stated after fulfilling her request to another round of hearty laughter.

The brunette wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh, wow. Yep, I'm familiar. Those lessons about the "running of the castle" we've been having are paying off," Shego admitted, providing the obligatory hand motions.

The king had become familiar with a few of these mannerisms and some of the ones that kept his young companion in happier moods. He stuck his tongue out at her. "_Have I not been most enlightening in regards to the duties of those that tend the grounds, kitchens, and stables?"_

_ "_Yeah," the young woman drew out. "Walks through the gardens, lunches, and horseback riding. With Big Poppa, that's just quality time."

"_I cannot deny that there is enjoyment in being accompanied by a lovely lady_," he shrugged,_ "and knowing my newest daughter better. I also gain the benefit of learning your language better, and you may always speak of anything that troubles you. Point of fact, have you yet corrected young Ronald of the belief that his heart belongs to any other but you, yet?"_

The brunette slapped the older man playfully on the chest. "No," she conceded quietly, blushing a little. "There was a time I wouldn't have cared and just taken him."

"_Understandable. While the love you have experienced here has made you a woman better suited for an honorable man, this also means you know that his heart must be earned by similarly honorable means."_

Shego noticed the other dignitaries moving for a better view. "I guess things are going to get started now."

Martis looked down into the arena. "_Indeed. The battle will be very brutal. As you stated before, there is my son Ronald and my commander Kriger. Just as you have discovered joy, my son has discovered anger. Until now, you have only seen Kriger appear as but a shadow upon the ground." _ The king nodded towards the combatants. "_The beast now steps into the light."_

A/N_____

Haha, I'm not dead. Boo that's it's been two years since my last update. Wish I could remember what it was that sidetracked me, but I can't. Hopefully, I can keep more dedicated to writing. I guess it's like reading a book. I know how everything goes, so I want to read something knew. Hope this was worth the wait.


	15. Big Battle

Chapter 15

The wind blew lazy across the arena floor as the sun shone warmly down on the meditating warriors. Both fighters appeared deeply focused, though one warrior's mind was not on the fight. The blond man's thoughts continued to return to planning a nice picnic while the weather remained nice. He knew the girls would love it. Maybe they could stay overnight; Katarin really enjoyed campfires. Ron hoped he'd remember wanting to do this after the fight; the major healing magics sometimes fixed more than broken bones.

The young man felt the wave of magic pass through him and knew it was time. As he stood, he held on to the thought of the warm smile of his raven-haired compatriot. That's what he was fighting for, so everyone could smile like that. Facing his opponent, it was like a shadow passed over him and transformed the man into a monster. The Chatauri before him looked ready; Ron could even hear him growling deep in his chest.

Without breaking eye contact, the young man stomped his foot to bounce a piece of rubble up. As the rock descended back down, he used a quick movements to catch it in a net of energy between his hands. Thrusting forward, the charged object shot towards the reptilian warrior. Who easily backhanded it the side and returned a short blast of fire. Ron swept it around him before throwing it to the ground on both sides.

"Now that the pleasantries are over," the blond mumbled as the two slowly circled each other, blue electricity flaring from his fists. Both looked for that one mistake to capitalize on, but neither could find one. There were no feints, no intentional openings. It was like watching two animals staring each other down, seemingly on the verge of baring their fangs. With no perceptible signal, the men sprung at each other. Even with the time dilation, the attacks were difficult to follow. Sometimes, those that watched couldn't be sure if a particular gyration was because the warrior had dodged a blow or had been struck by one. Explosions of light sparked as each hit connected with the thick hide of his reptilian foe; Ntombela's attacks were less visual but just as powerful.

Shego was amazed at the pace the combatants were keeping without showing any signs of slowing down from the abuse. She had never seen anyone fight with this kind of stamina before. Though several minutes had elapsed for her, the young woman had to keep reminding herself that they had been maintaining the relentless onslaught for almost ten minutes. Both men could be seen sporting various deep cuts and bruises, sprays of blood soaking into the dirt. The young lady knew from her sparring sessions with Ron that she wasn't in the same league with him. It always gave her something to motivate herself, but she was now seeing just how much he was holding back. The bastard even picked berries and herbs on the race home on the days they trained in the mountains.

The raven-haired beauty gasped involuntarily when she saw her friend's eyes widen. The Chatauri snaked under the young man's swing so that he could pivot into a tail strike to the chest, sending the blond flying several yards and slamming into a stone pillar. Before Ron had a chance to fall down, his opponent was pinning him in place with a rapid volley of punches. Ruthlessly, the reptilian jackhammered the young man until the assault caused the stone column to collapse and cover the area with rubble and smoke. Ntombela stood at a distance, waiting for an attack to come or confirmation of his victory.

The ground trembled as the pile exploded, sending pieces of rubble flying like missiles. With her attention focused on the violent display, Shego couldn't be certain if the lizardman had been struck by the shrapnel or her blond companion first. This was made all the more difficult when the young woman realized a couple minutes later that the dust coming off of Ron's fists was because of the large rocks he was holding. She couldn't imagine how Ntombela's skull was withstanding the blows.

With a snarl, the reptilian fighter grabbed the rocks as they came at him and crushed them to interlock his fingers with his opponent. In a test of strength, each warrior strained to overpower the other. With a twist, Ron rotated their arms to lock the other's arms. Rolling backwards, he pulled his opponent with him and planted a kick to the groin to help flip the larger male. The young man continued the back roll so that he straddled Ntombela's chest and began raining further punches on his opponent's face.

With a mighty roar, the reptilian was able to wrap his arms around the smaller man and pin his ams to his side. Standing to deny the warrior leverage, he squeezed into a vicious bear hug. Shego could see her companion straining to find purchase and break free. As Ron's face began to turn, he suddenly bit into the nape of his adversary's neck. The raven-haired beauty hadn't realized her hand was covering her mouth until she laughed at the sight of her friend spitting the taste from his mouth. She could almost swear the larger male was snarling "you bit me," and the blond responding with "Aw, man, now my mouth is dry." She wasn't even sure why she was laughing; it was just so Ron.

Ntombela charged at the blond man, his punches whistling through air as the agile warrior backstepped under and around the strikes. Spinning inside an attack, Ron grabbed his opponent's arm and twisted into a shoulder throw that sent the lizardman sailing through the air. The reptileman proved his own agility by twisting in the air to land on his feet and immediately charged his smaller opponent.

Ron rolled between the rushing Chatauri and flipped over the expected tail swipe. The lizardman turned to grab the man in midair but was not fast enough. The blond took hold of his foe's jaw as he flew over and planted his feet into the leathery back for a roll. The young man had to leap off when the larger warrior did not topple and jumped onto his back. Trying to capitalize on this, Ron went for an elbow drop; but Ntombela rolled to the side. Before the young man can get up, his opponent grabbed him by the ankles and spun several times before sending him flying through the air. Ron bounced a few times along the ground before he was able to right himself, his hands and feet digging in as he slid backwards. The blond stumbled forward to meet his lumbering foe, each trading solid blows.

Clarity slowly overcame Shego as her fighter's instincts began pulling at her attention. She realized that the king was the only thing keeping her standing, though it felt like he was waiting for her to fall. The combatants were showing obvious signs of fatigue, going for knockout punches without blocking. They had even locked their stances in a last ditch effort to remain standing. Oddly, blue flashes kept sparking on Ron each time he took a hit. It took the young woman several minutes to figure out her friend's arm had become dislocated, and the two warriors just continued slugging each other. Now, she was glad for the older man holding her up as nausea weighed heavy in her stomach.

In a desperation move, Ron forewent another punch to headbutt the lizardman and run up him for an uppercut. The effort too much, the young man dropped to a knee when he landed. Ntombela staggered back a step but whipped his tail to catch himself and fell forwards on top of the blond.

Shego slowly awoke to the delicious smell of breakfast with a deep sigh. "Morning, sunshine," a familiar but needlessly chipper voice greeted her.

Rolling over in the chair she was using, she pulled her cloak tighter to her chin. "Feed me," she mumbled, opening her mouth expectantly.

The young man sighed, putting a forkful of food into the gaping maw. "You'd think you were the one that went ten rounds with one of DNAmy's rejects."

The raven-haired beauty huffed. "I knew you were fine, and I've had to sleep in this chair while you got the comfy bed."

"Oh, how you have suffered," Ron monotoned, feeding her another bite. "Speaking of, who won? Reversing time to fix an assortment of blunt force trauma and replace my teeth kind of messes with the short-term memory."

"You lost the fight when the other guy collapsed on top of you," the villainess stated, sitting up and taking her plate from him, "but the treaty was signed. So, go you for getting your ass beat for the team."

"Hardy har har," the blond man faux-laughed. "Our gear is already packed, so we can leave whenever you're ready. I'm sure Katarin has been wearing out the porch."

"Can't keep Princess waiting," she agreed with a small smile, finishing her plate.

Illuminated by the soft glow of a couple candles, the two young adults quietly chatted on the porch, enjoying the clear starry night. Sometimes, their words drifted to a previously forgotten anecdote of their current lives that only the other could truly appreciate, and sometimes to reminiscing about some adventure from their old lives. Some moments even passed with just the enjoyment of each other's presence, the dark-haired beauty's head resting on his shoulder, her arm entwined with his so they could both sit comfortably.

One of those quiet moments was suddenly pierced by a wailing cry calling both their names. Rushing inside, they found the young princess standing in the hallway. Ron took her up into his arms, bouncing her gently and rubbing her back. Shego whispered soothing words as she stroked the young child's hair. After a long while, the fair-haired child had calmed down to the occasional sob, though she clung tightly to her big brother.

"_What happened, kiddo?_" the woman coaxed.

"_I wanted to come find you, but you were gone,_" Katarin whimpered, "y_ou didn't say goodbye."_

He wiped away her tears, "_We were just outside; I'm sorry."_

_ "Wanna sleep with you,"_ the little girl proclaimed, hugging the blond's neck tightly.

"Okay you go on, and I'll clean up outside real fast," Shego stated, turning back down the hall.

The young princess shrieked and kicked, reaching out for her. "_Wanna sleep with Big Sister Chloe too._"

The two adults shared a look, but the child's tears threatened to fall. "_Fine,_" the buxom lady sighed. "_Just this once. But you gotta start being a big girl."_

The group blew out the candles outside and climbed into Ron's bed with the little girl between them. The former villainess settled into a comfortable position and was about to try to doze off when she felt a small tugging on her shirt. "_Big girls are supposed to be sleeping right now."_

"_ Can I tell you a secret?" _the little voice loudly whispered.

Shego looked out of the corner of her eye to make out that her male bedmate wasn't showing any signs of paying attention, though he didn't seem to be asleep. "_Big Brother might hear."_

The girl seemed to give this solemn though. "_That's okay. I wanna tell you my secret."_

The young woman sighed. "_Go for it."_

_ "I love you, Big Sister Chloe."_

The raven-haired beauty chuckled. "_Pretty sure everyone knows that secret." _Sensing the dejection from the little girl, she added, "_But my secret is that I love you, too."_ Kissing the child on top of the head, they both finally allowed sleep to overtake them.

A/N_

I'm not even going to look at how long it was since the last chapter. I'm just going to apologize for taking so long. You'd think being unemployed would give me more time to write, but I gotta spend that time focusing on finding work. And my laptop finally stopped functioning, so I had to try to get the files off of it and onto the desktop. First world problems. Hope this was worth the wait.


	16. Fighting Fun

Chapter 16

Deep within the forgotten ruins, the stale air hung as thick as the darkness. No one had set foot within the stone halls for centuries until this day. Green light illuminated the fixture before the young woman, dust lazily drifting past. She scrutinized every part and mechanism to the trap left behind to protect the treasure that rested not even a n arm's length away. Satisfied with her assessment of the challenge and her intended plan, the thief steeled herself for action.

Suddenly, a thud that was felt more than heard reverberated throughout the structure. The young woman rolled her eyes when her companion called out that they had to go. Sighing, she threw a blast of energy at the base of the pedestal, sending the treasure skittering across the floor. Breaking into a run, the thief snatched it up and secured the item into her satchel without breaking stride.

The two figures raced up the twisting hallways as debris and dirt rained down around them. As large pieces collapsed in their path, they slid under or hurdled huge blocks and ran along the wall when necessary. Balls of jade energy were sent flying ahead to further illuminate the corridors and destroy blockages.

As the two began smelling fresh air, they hurried their steps to finally find the patch of sunlight that shown on the ground like a beacon for the deep shaft they had used to enter the ruins. With no time to use their ropes to ascend, the young man slid around to position himself to catapult his companion. With a flare of blue energy and her exceptional jumping skills, the woman made it halfway up before having to leap from wall to wall. Her partner was not far behind, using cross beams and jutting rocks to flip and launch himself towards the opening. They collapsed several yard away just as a plume of dirt erupted from the hole.

"Who's bright idea was it to go tomb raiding?" Shego panted, catching her breathe.

The blond man wheezed. "You were talking about kind of missing stealing stuff for Dr. Drakken, and I mentioned this place since it reminded me of helping archeologists with Kim."

"Got it, we're both idiots that don't know how to accept a good thing," the former villainess chuckled. "Hard to believe we used to do that kind of thing all the time."

"Point of fact, Kim and I used to do this on a weekly basis. You just used to sashay your way through high-tech security systems," he teased.

The young woman smirked and looked askance at her companion. "Been thinking about my sashaying, have we? That why Mr. "One-With-The-Shadows" set off the self-destruct?"

"Usually works better than a cold shower," he quipped.

"Jerk," she threw out, swinging her arm out in a vain attempt to hit him.

"So, how many pieced did you end up with? I got away with five."

"Hah, thief beats ninja," she hooted. "I came out with seven. Losing your touch, hero?"

Ron smiled, seeing the brunette trying to do a little dance where she was laying. "Au contraire, the villain winning just means act one has closed. The hero rises to win after the big fight scene."

"That's only true because the villain gets bold and keeps going. Hand me my laurels, for I shall sit upon them."

"Well, that's a shame. You picked up swordsmanship a lot faster than I expected. Act two was going to give you a chance to put those skills to the test."

"I guess I could be persuaded," she replied coyly.

"I'm sure we can negotiate something. Besides, this aught to be fun," Ron grinned.

Shego looked across the large field that would be the scene of battle in a few hours as the sun rose. She fought the urge to light up her eyes so she could see better since it would give away her position. "This aught to be fun," the young woman mumbled mockingly. "I could still be in bed, warm and asleep."

A figure approached from down the hill behind her and gave a slight bow. "_The preparations are ready, Lady Chloe. Do you have any final orders?_"

"_No, we will proceed as planned. It looks like the assassin team hasn't been caught, and all you guys can advise about his tactics is that he surprises you by doing what you do not expect. I will join the center forces, and you will take over as field commander for the duration._"

"_As you command,_" the young man bowed again. "_Some squires await in your tent to assist with your armor. As a reminder, you are not allowed to use your powers in this exercise._"

"_I remember_," the brunette confirmed. "_Let us just get this over with,_" They started back down the hill. "_Good luck out there._"

The predawn light was still just over the horizon as Shego's unit took their place almost a hundred yards away from the opposing camp. The young woman felt an excited nervousness she hadn't experienced for a long time. Even with only getting a few hours sleep, the exhilaration of testing her combat skills filled her with energy and made her feel like her old self.

Reverting to habits, the brunette scanned the camp, used to reading the darkness from long practice. She smiled at the thought that this time it would be her infiltrating the lair. Shame she hadn't thought to rib Stoppable about self-destructing the ruins. Maybe next time.

Uneasiness started pulling at her attention as the former villainess scanned the camp again for what was ringing her bells. The fires looked warm and inventing but were kept low to hide troop numbers and movements. But she never saw any shadows block the light; the expected sounds and smells of breakfast weren't making their way downwind to them as dawn swiftly began pushing back the night.

Before she could put together everything, the sounds of battle erupting from behind them reached their ears. Orders were being repeated down the lines, and the platoon started a quick walk back. No sense killing themselves before the enemy does.

As her forces reached the main skirmish, Shego waded into the fray with her sword and shield. After quickly dispatching the first few soldiers she reached, the young woman had to reign herself in from leaving the rest of her teammates behind. Training with Stoppable, she had always felt slow and ungainly when sparring; though she hadn't given much thought to the fact that the scores where fewer and farther between. Here, the young warrior felt like her old self. Dancing with her opponents and playing with them like a cat. It almost felt like they were holding back for her, but she knew her features were hidden beneath the armor.

After having lost count on how many soldiers she had defeated, the young woman finally saw her target. The man had chosen to wear his kingdom's armor, but he still went without a helmet. Like herself, the blond easily cut down all those that went against him with his bo staff while yelling out orders. Taking her chance, Shego rushed towards him, taking out soldiers as she ran past. As her silent attack came down, the larger man deflected the swing but missed the counterattack as she continued by. Spinning on her heels, the brunette roared as she came at him again, their battle like an elaborate ballet of strikes and blocks. Feeling she needed more speed, the villainess used one of her retreats to attack another combatant and steal his sword before taking him down. Now armed with two swords, the young woman rejoined with new vigor. Though they now moved faster, neither was any less focused.

Frustrated, Shego tried everything she could think of to get past the range of the staff to no avail. Thinking she saw an opening, her blade flew out; but she was stopped short by the blunt shaft of her adversary's weapon pressing into her throat. "You lose," Ron stated.

"Check again, pretty boy," the young woman replied, poking him in the ribs with her sword through one of the thin gaps in his armor. "Now, you have to cut that stupid beard."

"That was only if you won, and this is a draw," the young man rebutted as they put away their weapons.

Shego ripped off her helmet and upper armor revealing her glistening torso, beads of sweat sliding down her toned muscles, with only heavy bandages binding her chest covering her. "That's bullshit, and you know it. Besides, I would have won if you hadn't been using that stupid staff. Who uses a staff in a real battle?"

"Apparently, I do," Ron replied, walking away while the fighting continued around them.

The brunette matched step with him, not noticing the men getting taken out as they slowed to gawk at her exposed flesh. "You said you taught me the styles I'd see in battle," she accused him.

"I said I would teach you the weapons you'd most likely see in battle," the blond informed her as they separated around a skirmish. "You have to master what you have and be prepared for any kind of weapon you may come against."

"At least I still have my guy leading; my side can still get the victory," she argued.

"My second is just as good as him, and why aren't you wearing your underarmor? It's there for your protection." Ron asked disapprovingly.

"Because it makes me too hot, and I don't really need it with my powers always giving me resilience," the woman growled.

"You are an insufferable woman," he groused.

"You're still cooking me dinner tonight for not losing the exercise."

"Is this supposed to be different from how I cook dinner all the time for you gracing me with your presence each day?"

"Yeah, because I almost graced you with an ass-kicking," the brunette grinned.

"Insufferable," he muttered.

A/N_

Took a while to get this out. Had to rewrite most of it due to a hardware issue with my laptop, so I thought I'd lost the work. Turned out that the hard drive didn't have any retaining screws and had just slipped out a little. Going to try to have the next chapter out faster.


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